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December 15, 2021


Media contacts:

Deidre McCabe, Director, Office of Communications, 410-767-3536

Andy Owen, Deputy Director, Media Relations 410-767-6491

Maryland Department of Health supports Managed Care Organization (MCO) Gift Card incentive program for unvaccinated HealthChoice participants ages 12+

Baltimore, MD— In an effort to encourage Medicaid recipients to get vaccinated against COVID-19, the Maryland Department of Health’s (MDH) Medicaid program today announced support for a vaccine incentive program sponsored by the HealthChoice managed care organizations (MCOs).

The HealthChoice COVID-19 Gift Card Program begins today and lasts until the end of March 2022. Unvaccinated HealthChoice participants ages 12 and older who complete a full two-dose Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine series or who receive a single Johnson & Johnson vaccine within this time frame can claim a $100 COVID-19 gift card from their MCO. 

“Unvaccinated Marylanders remain at the highest risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 and its highly contagious variants,” said MDH Secretary Dennis R. Schrader. “This incentive for our Medicaid population, whose vaccination rate is much lower compared to other Marylanders, is intended to keep them safe and protected against this deadly disease.”

MDH will support the HealthChoice COVID-19 Gift Card Program by making details about the program available through the GoVAX Call Center (855-MD-GoVAX).

For more information about Maryland’s COVID-19 response, visit covidLINK.maryland.gov. For up-to-date data about COVID-19 statewide, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov



The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.  

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