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COVID Vaccines Are A Money-maker For Florida Doctors, Pharmacies And Grocery Stores

A Publix Supermarket in Orlando, Fla.
John Greim
/
LightRocket via Getty Images
A Publix Supermarket in Orlando, Fla.

Think your COVID vaccine was free? It wasn’t.

Although you didn’t have to pay anything for the shots, the fees paid by insurance companies and the federal government put as much as $150 million in the pockets of Florida pharmacies, grocery stores and private medical practices.

Few begrudge these companies the chance to make money for providing a life-saving service during an international health crisis. But a look at doses provided to Publix, Walgreens, CVS and private doctors shows that the COVID vaccine business provided a big source of revenue after a difficult year. Aside from direct revenues, by bringing customers in the door, the shots result in sales of everything from diapers to annual physicals.

Read more at our news partner the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

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