US Centres for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has said it will pay for any COVID-19 vaccine that is authorised or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to allow for "broad vaccine access and coverage for all Americans.", CNN reported on Thursday.

Also, the agency announced it will help cover a larger portion of the cost of new COVID-19 treatments that may be coming down the pipeline for Medicare recipients.

CMS administrator, Seema Verma, was quoted as saying during a briefing on 28 October: "There are several vaccines in Phase 3 trials, production and distribution plans are well underway, and CMS is doing its part by laying the essential groundwork for coverage and payment when a vaccine does arise. It'll be widely available and accessible to seniors and every American."

She added that while the US federal government is paying for the vaccine, insurers including Medicare, Medicaid and private plans must cover the cost of administering it.