At the beginning of the vaccination season, KV RLP has summarized essential information about the COVID-19 vaccination for you.
COVID-19 vaccines
The COVID-19 vaccines from BioNTech/Pfizer, adapted to the Omicron variant JN.1 and KP.2 (from November 2024) and approved for primary immunization and booster vaccination, are available for vaccination:
- Comirnaty® 30 micrograms/dose JN.1 from BioNTech/Pfizer – ages 12 and up (gray cap): Ready-made solution, 6 doses per vial
- Comirnaty® 10 micrograms/dose JN.1 from BioNTech/Pfizer – from 5 to 11 years (blue cap): ready-made solution, 6 doses per vial
- Comirnaty® 3 micrograms/dose JN.1 from BioNTech/Pfizer – from 6 months to 4 years (yellow cap): dilute with NaCl solution before administration, 3 doses per vial
Ab November 2024
- Comirnaty® 30 micrograms/dose KP.2 from BioNTech/Pfizer – from 12 years (gray cap): ready-made solution, 6 doses per vial
- Comirnaty® 10 micrograms/dose KP.2 from BioNTech/Pfizer – from 5-11 years (dark blue cap): ready-made solution, 6 doses per vial
- Comirnaty® 3 micrograms/dose KP.2 from BioNTech/Pfizer – from 6 months to 4 years (yellow cap): dilute with NaCl solution before administration, 3 doses per vial
Cormirnaty® XBB.1.5 vaccines can no longer be used
If Comirnaty® XBB.1.5 vaccines (all age groups) are still available in doctor’s offices, they must be disposed of properly. Since the federal government financed the vaccines, the practices are not at risk of recourse for unused vaccination doses.
Claim to performance
The persons for whom vaccination is indicated are specified in Appendix 1 of the Vaccination Guideline.
Regulation and order
Doctors’ practices indicate the number of vaccination doses and the corresponding vaccine name on the prescription, for example 48 doses of Comirnaty® vaccine for adults JN.1.
This season, too, the payer remains the Federal Office for Social Security (BAS) with the institution code 103609999. The fields “Toll-free”, “Vaccine” or “Consultation need” must not be marked. The insured field remains blank. The vaccine is used for both those with statutory and private insurance. The vaccine is ordered weekly and should be received by the delivery pharmacy by 12 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Vaccination supplies
The costs for vaccination accessories (disposable cannulas/syringes) must be borne by the doctor’s practice (general practice costs). The saline solution required for dilution for the vaccination of infants and small children can be obtained from the consultation hours.
Documentation and billing
Since July 2024, weekly documentation has been eliminated. Like other vaccinations, COVID-19 vaccinations are documented in the patient file and vaccination card.
Furthermore, when billing, you enter the batch number of the vaccine in field identifier 5010 and, for booster vaccinations, also note how many COVID-19 vaccinations the person has had (field identifier 5009).
COVID-19 vaccinations with the Comirnaty® JN.1 or KP.2 vaccine (from November) must be billed as follows:
Cormirnaty® JN.1
Generally
- 88345A first doses of a vaccination cycle or incomplete vaccination series
- 88345B last dose of a vaccination cycle according to the product information
- 88345R refresh
Cormirnaty® KP.2
Generally
- 88348A first doses of a vaccination cycle or incomplete vaccination series
- 88348B last dose of a vaccination cycle according to the product information
- 88348R refresh
Cormirnaty® JN.1
Professionally
- 88345V first doses of a vaccination cycle or incomplete vaccination series
- 88345W last dose of a vaccination cycle according to the product information
- 88345X Refresher
Cormirnaty® KP.2
Professionally
- 88348V first doses of a vaccination cycle or incomplete vaccination series
- 88348W last dose of a vaccination cycle according to the product information
- 88348X Refresher
Economic efficiency note
Comirnaty® vaccines from BioNTech/Pfizer are centrally procured and made available by the federal government. The health insurance companies therefore incur no costs. If not all vaccination doses in a vial are vaccinated despite ordering according to needs and careful scheduling, the federal government does not claim any recourse. This also applies to vaccine doses purchased from the federal government whose expiry date has been reached.
Regulation only at the expense of the BAS
The costs for COVID-19 vaccines from other manufacturers (for example Spikevax® from Moderna) are not covered by the federal government. Prescribing these at the expense of the statutory health insurance companies could be considered uneconomical, which could result in corresponding reimbursement demands from the health insurance companies.
