A Texas boy needed protection from measles. The vaccine cost $1,400.

His 4-year-old needed protection from measles. The vaccine cost $1,400.

As the West Texas measles outbreak spread, Thang Nguyen of Galveston worried about his 4-year-old son, Anh Hoang, who had received only the first of the measles vaccine’s two doses. Nguyen took his family to a primary care clinic, where his son got his second shot. He was surprised when his insurer did not cover the vaccine — and its $1,400 price tag. (Scott Dalton for KFF Health News)In the early days of the West Texas measles outbreak, Thang N…

A Texas boy needed protection from measles. The vaccine cost $1,400.

In the early days of the West Texas measles outbreak, Thang Nguyen eyed the rising number of cases and worried. His 4-year-old son was at risk because he had received only the first of the vaccine's two doses.

A Texas Boy Needed Protection From Measles. The Vaccine Cost $1,400.

In the early days of the West Texas measles outbreak, Thang Nguyen eyed the rising number of cases and worried. His 4-year-old son was at risk because he had received only the first of the vaccine’s two doses. So, in mid-March, he took his family to a primary care clinic at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. By the end of the visit, his son, Anh Hoang, had received one shot protecting against four illnesses — measles, mumps, ru…