Images of health insurer incentive programs for providers to encourage their patients to get COVID-19 vaccines are circulating again. A sitting U.S. congressman who has promoted vaccine misinformation in the past shared the image with the claim that insurance companies are bribing doctors to vaccinate patients.
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The high-profile nature of this misinformation and its potential to increase vaccine hesitancy elevates its risk. Debunking messaging may explain that insurance incentive programs require doctors to meet a variety of performance goals related to the quality of patient care and health outcomes. The performance metrics include timely vaccinations, regular appointments, appropriate use of medications, disease diagnosis, and treatment. Insurance companies have a financial interest in covered patients being as healthy as possible. Messaging may also emphasize that vaccinations are integral to health care that reduce the risk of patients contracting serious and potentially fatal illnesses. Fact-Checking Source(s):
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