While an individual who receives a free flu shot pays nothing up front, it’s not actually a zero-cost transaction, according to a Kaiser Health News report.
Insurers ultimately foot the bill for the shots, according to the report, and make their money back through higher premiums.
“The patient is immune from the cost, but they are the losers because eventually they pay a higher premium,” Johns Hopkins University accounting and health policy professor Ge Bai tells KHN.
To read the full report, click here.
