Jump to: Information for vaccine providers
Many health care providers in Colorado receive publicly funded vaccines. Those are vaccines that enrolled health care providers get for free from the federal, state, and/or local government. Many people qualify to receive publicly funded vaccines, including those without health insurance and those whose health insurance doesn’t pay for vaccines.
In 2023, the State of Colorado passed Senate Bill 23-260, Individual Access To Publicly Funded Vaccines. This state law makes sure that people can receive publicly funded vaccines without needing to pay a fee or show identification. The law is found in section 25-4-2404 of the Colorado Revised Statutes.
If you or your child qualify and need a publicly funded vaccine, you have the right to receive the vaccine at no cost. Know your rights.
The clinic may ask you for:
- Health insurance.
- A government-issued identification card.
- A social security card or number.
- An out-of-pocket fee for the administration of the vaccine.
You do not have to provide any of these to receive a publicly funded vaccine, even if the clinic asks for them. It is illegal for the clinic to deny you a publicly funded vaccine for not showing documents or paying a fee. Providers who receive publicly funded vaccines are also required to post notices in their clinics to make it clear that you cannot be denied a publicly funded vaccine for not showing documents or paying a fee.
Use the Vaccines for Children Provider Map to find a provider that has publicly funded vaccines.
If you were denied a publicly funded vaccine for not showing documents or paying a fee, complete this online complaint form to let the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment know about it. If you have any questions about completing this form, email cdphe.dcdimmunization@state.co.us or call (303) 692-2700.
Information for vaccine providers
CDPHE created and distributed a multilingual (Spanish, Somali, Arabic, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese) disclosure notice that all healthcare providers giving publicly funded vaccines must post in an area visible to patients or parents/guardians in their practice. Providers can request notices in languages other than those included on the multilingual notice.
Providers cannot charge or bill an insurance provider or plan for the product cost of a publicly funded vaccine. Providers may charge a vaccine administration fee. This fee must be equal to or less than the healthcare provider's vaccine administration costs or the vaccine administration reimbursement rate set pursuant to the Colorado Medical Assistance Act. However, providers may not deny a publicly funded vaccine based on a patient’s ability to pay the administration fee.
Providers who give publicly funded vaccines can only bill a patient for a vaccine administration fee once and within 90 days of the time of the vaccination. Providers cannot send an unpaid vaccine administration bill to a collection agency.