COVID-19: Updated Vaccines for Children Ages 6 Months - 5 Years

Published 03/02/2023

On December 8, 2022, the FDA amended the emergency use authorizations of the updated (bivalent) Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to include use in children down to 6 months old. Your patients may know these as “updated COVID-19 vaccines”:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech: all patients 6 months – 4 years old. Get important prescribing information.
  • Moderna: all patients 6 months – 5 years old. Get important prescribing information.

Use 4 new CPT codes effective December 8, 2022:

  • Code 91316 for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent Product:
    • Long descriptor: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) vaccine, mRNA-LNP, spike protein, bivalent, preservative free, 10 mcg/0.2 mL dosage, for intramuscular use
    • Short descriptor: SARSCOV2 VAC BVL 10MCG/0.2ML
  • Code 91317 for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent Product:
    • Long descriptor: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) vaccine, mRNA-LNP, bivalent spike protein, preservative free, 3 mcg/0.2 mL dosage, diluent reconstituted, tris-sucrose formulation, for intramuscular use
    • Short descriptor: SARSCOV2 VAC BVL 3MCG/0.2ML
  • Code 0164A for Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent - Administration – Booster Dose:
    • Long descriptor: Immunization administration by intramuscular injection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) vaccine, mRNA-LNP, spike protein, bivalent, preservative free, 10 mcg/0.2 mL dosage, booster dose
    • Short descriptor: ADM SRSCV2 BVL 10MCG/0.2ML B
  • Code 0173A for Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent - Administration – Third Dose:
    • Long descriptor: Immunization administration by intramuscular injection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (coronavirus disease [COVID-19]) vaccine, mRNA-LNP, bivalent spike protein, preservative free, 3 mcg/0.2 mL dosage, diluent reconstituted, tris-sucrose formulation, third dose
    • Short descriptor: ADM SARSCV2 BVL 3MCG/0.2ML 3

Visit the COVID-19 Vaccine Provider Toolkit for more information, and get the most current list of billing codes, payment allowances, and effective dates. Note: You may need to refresh your browser if you recently visited this webpage.


Was this article helpful?