If You Don’t Have Insurance
- Children 18 and under who are uninsured, underinsured, on SoonerCare, or are American Indian or Alaska Native
- Children who meet at least one of the above criteria are eligible for a federally-funded Vaccines For Children flu shot at no cost at health care providersenrolled in theVFCprogram, including Oklahoma county health departments and community health centers across the state.
- Uninsured adults
- If you don’t havehealthinsurance, you may be able to get a flu shot at noout-of-pocket cost at local county health departmentsorcommunity health centers and other locations across Oklahoma.Please call ahead to see if a no-cost flu shot is available.
Are Flu Shots Covered By My Blue Cross Plan
If you have an HMO plan, your annual flu shot is free.
For many PPO members, getting an annual flu shot also comes at no cost. Heres how you can see:
- Log in to your online account on bcbsm.com and check your benefit documents or
If youre not sure which type of plan you have, your ID card will tell you.
Can I get reimbursed for a flu shot?
Reimbursements for flu shots depend on what plan you have. If you have Non-Medicare Blue Preferred PPOSM, or if you’re a BCN member, you may be eligible for a flu shot reimbursement.
The Flu Vaccine Helps Protect You And Your Family From The Flu
Millions of people get influenza every year. While it may be common, seasonal flu is a potentially serious disease. It can lead to hospitalization and even death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .1 Thats why its recommended to get a flu vaccine every year to help protect yourself and your family.2 The flu vaccine can help:
- Weaken or prevent the flu
- Reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor with flu by 40 percent to 60 percent during seasons when the flu vaccine viruses are similar to circulating flu viruses1
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What Do I Need To Know About Flu Shots
Who is this for?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network members under age 65. If you’re a Medicare member, please visit our Medicare flu and pneumonia shots page to learn more.
There’s never been a more important time to get your flu shot. You can learn about it here. You might also want to know the symptoms of the flu versus COVID-19.
Are There Different Types Of Flu Shots
The flu vaccines approved in the U.S. are quadrivalent, meaning they facilitate an immune response against four types of influenza viruses, two influenza A and two influenza B.
A virus created in eggs is the basis of the standard flu shot. The Flucelvax quadrivalent is a cell-based, egg-free vaccine that the CDC recommends for children 6 months and older.
If you are 65 years or older, the CDC suggests one of the following:
- Fluad quadrivalent adjuvanted flu vaccine: an egg-based vaccine with an adjuvant, an ingredient that stimulates a robust immune response
- Flublok quadrivalent recombinant flu vaccine: a vaccine synthetically engineered without the flu virus or eggs, approved for people 18 years and older
- Fluzone high-dose quadrivalent vaccine: a vaccine that contains quadruple the antigen, the substance that mounts protection against the flu, and is U.S.-approved for the 65-plus population exclusively
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Seasonal Flu And Covid
COVID-19 and the flu will likely both be spreading this season, according to the CDC. Protecting yourself from the flu with a flu shot helps reduce your risk of serious illness and hospitalization.3 It may be hard to know if you have COVID-19 or if it may be the flu or a cold, since symptoms are similar. Getting the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine will give you the best protection. You can even get them at the same time.3 Ask your doctor if you have more questions about how these vaccines can help protect you.
Medicare Part C Flu Shot Coverage
Medicare Part C include both Part A and B benefits. These plans are sold by private insurance companies and replace your Original Medicare coverage .
Because Part B benefits are included, Medicare Advantage plans cover flu shots. Medicare Advantage plans may also offer some additional benefits, such as hearing, dental and vision care. Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage.
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When Should You Get Your Flu Shot
Its generally recommended that people get a flu vaccine by the end of October, according to the CDC. This is especially important because of the ongoing spread of COVID-19. The flu season peaks often in February and can last until May, so you can still get the flu vaccine later. No matter when you get your flu shot, it will still be valuable to help protect you for the rest of the flu season. Talk to your provider about the best time to get your flu shot. Remember to ask about other vaccines you might need to protect yourself this year too.
Medicare Part B Flu Shot Coverage
Medicare Part B is your medical insurance. It covers outpatient care and preventive services, which includes the flu shot. Part B is optional, and some people who have employer-sponsored insurance after age 65 may often opt out of Part B, at least until their other insurance ends.
Part B pays the full price for one flu vaccine per season, and may cover a second vaccination if your doctor deems it medically necessary. This covers flu shots that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for people over age 65.
Medicare Part B also covers a seasonal H1N1 swine flu vaccine, as well as the pneumococcal vaccine to prevent pneumonia. Medicare Part B also fully covers the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Which Providers Accept Medicare For Flu Shots
Many hospital networks, health care providers and pharmacies nationwide accept Medicare for flu shots. Contact your preferred provider to learn whether they accept Medicare for annual flu vaccinations before scheduling your appointment. You can also visit Medicare.gov and use its provider search tool to determine who in your care network accepts Original Medicare, the coverage used for flu vaccinations.
How Much Does A Flu Shot Cost With Medicare
If you have Original Medicare coverage, the flu shot will cost you $0.
If youre wondering where you can get the flu shot, the answer is lots of places, including your doctors office or a local pharmacy. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, contact the plan provider to find out where exactly you can go for your flu shot. Most places accept Medicare Advantage plans, according to medicare.gov.
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Do You Need A Flu Shot This Year
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , people over the age of 65 are at a very high risk of developing dangerous complications from the flu.1 If you are over 65 years old and/or have autoimmune issues , getting your Medicare-covered flu vaccine is your best defense at protecting you from the flu or lessening the effects of it.
Ways The Flu Shot Helps Support Healthy Families
- Itâs a simple way to protect yourself and your loved ones. Every year, the flu vaccine prevents millions of illnesses and flu-related doctor visits.
- It helps protect people with certain chronic conditions, like heart disease, lung disease, and diabetes from serious illness and hospitalization.
- Getting a flu shot during pregnancy helps provide protection during and after pregnancy. It also helps protect the baby from the flu for several months after birth.
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What Is A Flu Shot
The flu shot is an inactivated vaccine that is given with a needle, usually in the arm. Flu vaccine causes antibodies to develop in the body about two weeks after vaccination. These antibodies provide protection against infection from the viruses that are in the vaccine.
The seasonal flu shot protects against four influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the upcoming season, including two influenza A viruses and two influenza B viruses. Egg-based, cell-based, and recombinant flu vaccines are also available.
Where Do You Get Your Annual Flu Vaccine
Your Medicare coverage for flu shots applies whether you get the vaccine at your doctors office or a local pharmacy. Some pharmacies offer a wide range of vaccinations, including shots to protect from shingles, COVID-19 and influenza.
You can opt to get multiple vaccines during the same visit but check with your doctor first. The vaccines you receive at the pharmacy, usually administered with a needle in the arm muscle, are no different than what you would get at the doctors office.
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Where To Get A Flu Vaccine
Getting a flu vaccine is easy, and it is the first and most important step you can take in protecting yourself and your loved ones from flu. There are a number of places where you can get flu vaccine, including your local health department, vaccination clinics, doctors’ offices, retail pharmacies, and some schools and workplaces.
Contact your doctor or Local Health Department to ask about flu vaccine availability, or for a list of flu vaccination clinics near you, please visit the Vaccine Finder.
Most flu vaccine is free or low cost with insurance however, if you are uninsured or underinsured there are options available.
The Michigan VFC Program provides vaccines at no cost to children less than 19 years of age and are either Medicaid-eligible, uninsured, underinsured, or American Indian/Alaska Native. Ask your healthcare provider if they are a VFC provider or contact your Local Health Department.
The Michigan AVP Program provides vaccine at no cost to adults 19 years and older seen at participating providers such as Local Health Departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, Tribal Health Centers, Migrant Health Centers, and more! The MI-AVP program is expanding to ensure adult flu vaccine is available at even more provider offices and pop-up clinics across Michigan.
If you are a health care professional looking for flu vaccine, please visit the National Influenza Vaccine Summit webpage. Other resources include:
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Who Should Not Get A Flu Shot
Talk with a doctor before getting a flu vaccine if you:
- Have a severe allergy to eggs
- Have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination
- Children younger than 6 months of age
- People who have a moderate-to-severe illness with a fever
- People with a history of GuillainBarré Syndrome that occurred after receiving the influenza vaccine and who are not at risk for severe illness from influenza should generally not receive the vaccine. Tell your doctor if you ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome. Your doctor will help you decide whether the vaccine is recommended for you.
You can get a flu vaccine at the same time you have a respiratory illness without fever or if you have another mild illness.
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What Can I Do If My Plan Doesnt Cover My Flu Shot
If the answer to the question, is the flu shot covered by insurance? is no, there are other avenues you can explore. One option is to contact your states health department. During the winter months, it is not uncommon for programs to offer free or discounted flu vaccines. However, this largely depends on which state you reside in and their commitment to public vaccination programs.
Alternatively, look up your nearest Federally funded health center. The majority of these locations provide affordable vaccines to those who cannot afford a flu shot and those who arent covered by health insurance.
Medicare Coverage For Vaccinations
Medicare covers various preventive services under Part B . Most Part B services require that you pay the Part B deductible and 20% coinsurance. However, preventive services generally require no out-of-pocket expense if you use a healthcare provider accepting assignment.
When a Medicare-participating provider or supplier accepts assignment, the provider agrees to accept the Medicare-approved amount. This limits your financial responsibility to the deductible, coinsurance and copayments, if applicable. Non-participating providers can elect to accept the Medicare-approved amount on a case-by-case basis.
TIP: Learn more about what vaccines are covered by Medicare.
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Prescription Savings Clubs Or Cards
Prescription Savings Clubs or Cards are accessible through several pharmacies, including Walgreens, Kroeger, CVS, Rite Aid, and more. At Walgreens, anyone is eligible to sign up for this savings method, regardless of whether they have insurance or not. It’s important to know that the membership can only be used with cash purchases and provides up to a 20% discount on vaccines. Bonuses and points can be accumulated to spend on other products at the pharmacy.
Medicare Coverage And Payment
Medicare covers initial pneumococcal vaccine and different, second pneumococcal vaccine one year after the first is administered, effective February 2, 2015. See Modifications to Medicare Part B Coverage of Pneumococcal Vaccinationspdf iconexternal icon.
Medicare Part B will pay for the following vaccines:
- Influenza vaccine
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Getting Shots And Vaccines With Your Health Insurance
Vaccines are important for protecting you from preventable diseases like measles, meningitis, and the flu. Vaccines prepare your immune system to fight diseases without making you sick, so that when you’re exposed to the real thing, you can save your days off of work for something more fun than lying in bed with a splitting headache and a burning throat.
What Can I Do If My Health Insurance Wont Cover Flu Shots Or Other Vaccines
If your health insurance plan doesn’t cover certain vaccines or shots, or if you dont have health insurance, do the following:
- Contact your state health department. It may be able to help you find free or low-cost vaccines.
- Look for a federally funded health center near you. Most provide affordable vaccines.
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What Is The Flu
The flu, short for influenza, is a respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses, which can infect your nose, throat and lungs. The flu is contagious, infecting between 5 percent and 20 percent of the American population each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its typically transmitted by droplets emitted when an infected person coughs or sneezes. If you inhale those droplets, you may become sick. Likewise, if the droplets land on an object that you touch, the virus can then be inhaled or ingested if you put your hands near your nose or mouth. Flu season in the United States typically lasts from October to May, and peaks in January or February.
Some cases of the flu can be severe. A lot of times, we think of the flu as a mild disease, but people die from the flu and flu-related complications, says Dr. Ajani Nimmagadda, a senior medical director at Cigna. In the U.S., on average, more than 200,000 people must be hospitalized each year because of flu-related complications. The number of flu-related deaths in the U.S. in a given year has ranged from 3,000 to about 49,000.
Other flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue and a runny or stuffy nose. Complications of the flu include pneumonia, sinus infections and dehydration. The flu can also worsen some chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes and congestive heart failure.
Certain people are more at risk of suffering complications from the flu, including:
Who Should Get The Flu Shot
The CDC recommends that anyone over the age of six months should get a flu shot.
Some people have a higher risk for developing flu-related complications. If you have chronic conditions such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes or chronic kidney disease you should make getting the flu shot a high priority. The same is true for people who are 65 and older.
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Does Health Insurance Cover Flu Shots
A flu shot covered by insurance largely depends on your insurance plan. Flu shot insurance may provide you with a subsidized shot, but keep in mind there may be copays to consider. If you dont have an insurance plan that covers the annual flu shot, how much is the flu shot without insurance? While costs differ nationwide and between providers, the average cost of a high-dose flu shot is $70. Lets answer the question does my insurance cover flu shots? and how the answer may change depending on your insurance plan.
How To Enroll In Medicare Plans For Flu Shot Coverage
Medicares annual open enrollment period runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. Most people enroll in Medicare when they first become eligible at age 65. If youre already collecting social security benefits, its likely that youre already automatically enrolled in Original Medicare therefore, theres no need for you to sign up for anything.
If youre not collecting social security benefits, you have to enroll yourself, which you can do within the three months before and after the month you turn 65. If you miss this window and dont qualify for an exception, youll likely have to wait for Medicares next enrollment period or pay a late enrollment penalty.
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