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WASHINGTON—The federal government is "doing everything it can" to prevent COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers from unduly hiking the price of their products once the federal government stops providing vaccines free of charge and patients and insurers have to buy them at commercial rates, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said Wednesday.

"This conversation has been ongoing," Becerra said on a phone call with reporters, referring to his department's discussions about commercialization with manufacturers. Although the vaccine pricing is in the hands of drugmakers and distributors, "we will do everything we can to make sure that the cost of a COVID vaccine remains affordable ... We'll do everything we can to make sure that we keep the price as low as possible."

The Biden administration has provided COVID-19 vaccines free of charge to patients since December 2020, but the funding from Congress to pay for the vaccines ran out. In its most recent budget request, the administration asked for $9 billion more in funding, but Congress did not include it in the omnibus budget bill passed in December, so patients now must either pay out-of-pocket for the vaccines or get reimbursed by their health insurer.

However, the price that insurers and patients pay for the jabs will soon be increasing: Pfizer announced several months ago that once the government stops paying for Pfizer's vaccine, the price will rise from about $30 per dose to anywhere from $110 to $130 per dose. Moderna is considering similar pricing for its vaccine, which costs the federal government $26 per dose. Head over to MedPage Today to read more about it.