Does Aetna Cover Shingles Shots

Do I Have To Pay For Vaccines With Medicare

You pay nothing for vaccines covered by Part B flu, pneumonia and Hepatitis B as long as your provider accepts Medicare.

Your cost for vaccines covered by Part D will depend on your specific plan. You may pay a copay or coinsurance, but it will depend on your plan and the provider.

The location where you get vaccinated may also affect your cost. For example, your costs may be lower if you get a vaccine at a pharmacy versus in a doctors office.

Are There Any Special Rules For Aetnas Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plans

To help keep your Medicare out-of-pocket costs low, Aetnas Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans may include special rules such as:

• Prior authorization for certain medications. You may need to get approval from your Aetna Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan first.
• Step therapy. If your doctor prescribes a brand-name medication and a generic version is available, your doctor may need to prescribe a less expensive medication first to treat your condition before the plan will help pay for the more expensive brand-name version
• Quantity limits, which restrict the number of doses of certain medications that you can get at one time.
• Opioid safety checks, which may limit the amount of these prescription drugs your doctor can prescribe for you. Opioids are used to treat pain, but can be addictive, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Eligibility rules determine whether you qualify for an Aetna Medicare Advantage prescription drug plan, or any Medicare prescription drug plan.

• You must first be enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B.
• You must live within the plans service area.

You need to continue paying your Medicare Part B premium, along with any plan premium. Some of Aetnas Medicare Advantage plans may charge premiums as low as $0.

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Vaccines Covered By Medicare Part B

Medicare Part B covers three important vaccines as part of its preventive care benefits.

Covered vaccines include the following:

• Flu vaccine: Annual vaccine given in one shot before or during flu season, usually November through April
• Pneumonia vaccine: One-time vaccine given in two shots at least one year apart
• Hepatitis B vaccine: One-time vaccine given in two to four shots over one to six months for people who are medium to high risk, including people with diabetes

Part B also covers vaccines you may need if youre exposed to a harmful virus or bacteria by accident. You might need a tetanus shot, for example, if you step on a rusty nail. Or you may need rabies shots if youre bitten by a stray dog.

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Why Do You Need The Shingles Vaccine

In a word: pain. Shingles commonly appears as a rash, usually across one side of your chest, abdomen or face. What starts as itching or tingling becomes an extremely painful band of blisters. These usually scab over in seven to 10 days and clear up in two to four weeks.4

Shingles is most common among people over the age of 50, so the Centers for Disease Controls recommends the vaccine for anyone over that age.

People with a weak immune system are at even higher risk. Your immunity may be weakened if you:5

• Are under extreme stress.

Shingles must be active, meaning in the blister phase, to be contagious. You cannot transmit the virus before the blisters appear, nor once they crust over.6 Even if the virus is active, the risk of spreading VZV is low if you keep the shingles rash covered.7

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How Much Do Aetnas Medicare Advantageprescription Drug Plans Cost

Aetnas Medicare Advantage prescription drug plans may come with monthly premiums and other out-of-pocket costs, like deductibles, copayments, and coinsurance. Of course, this is true of any insurance company that contracts with Medicare to deliver benefits to members. These costs may vary among plans.

Plan premiums may depend on various factors, like where you live, and the type of plan you choose.

One thing to keep in mind: If you want Medicare prescription drug coverage, you may want to enroll under Part D as soon as youre eligible, unless you have creditable prescription drug coverage from another source, such as an employer plan. If you dont, you may have to pay a Part D late enrollment penalty based on the number of months you went without prescription drug coverage. You pay this penalty as long as you have creditable prescription drug coverage, so it can really add up over time.

Who Should Not Get The Shingles Vaccine

The vaccine may not be appropriate for people who have a weakened immune system due to certain conditions. These people include those with an organ transplant and those who are undergoing chemotherapy to treat cancer.

Doctors also recommend that people with an allergy to any component of the vaccine do not have the shingles vaccination.

Anyone with severe allergies must tell a doctor about them when discussing their shingles risk. People who are pregnant or breastfeeding or currently have shingles symptoms should not get the shot.

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Dont Panic If Youre Put On A Waiting List For The New Shingles Vaccine

Ann Dieffenbach got her first shot of the new shingles vaccine, Shingrix, at her CVS pharmacy in Bethesda on Feb. 25. Its a two-injection series, the second shot recommended two to six months after the first. But Dieffenbach, 63, hasnt yet been able to get that second shot: There has been no vaccine available.

She has called numerous stores, only to be told its on back order. In a few weeks, her six months will be up. Its been frustrating, says Dieffenbach, a retired National Institutes of Health communications director. I havent even been able to find a place that will put me on a waiting list.

Dieffenbach is not alone. Many people nationwide are between shots, unable to complete the series. Until recently, I was one of them. I got my first shot at a CVS in Northwest Washington at the end of April, then went back recently for the second only to be placed on a waiting list.

There is good news, though. The vaccine maker, GlaxoSmithKline, recently started shipments again, and the shortage has begun to ease.

The manufacturer blames the problem on extraordinarily high demand. It is not a manufacturing issue, says Sean Clements, a company spokesman. The demand for this vaccine has been unprecedented.

Still, the shortage raises questions for those who may be nervously watching the calendar: What happens if your six months elapse? Must you begin the shots all over again?

Payment questions aside, dont panic: More vaccine is on the way.

Medicare Coverage Of The Tetanus Shot

The TDAP vaccine, unlike the flu and pneumonia shots, are covered under Medicare prescription drug coverage, also known as Medicare Part D. If you are only enrolled in Original Medicare , you dont get Part D coverage automatically. Instead, you can get coverage for your tetanus shot under Part D through a stand-alone Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Coverage for the TDAP shot is also available through a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage. These plans must provide all the benefits available under Original Medicare, but in many cases, they include additional benefits not covered under Part A and Part B. Medicare Advantage plans often include benefits for routine vision or dental, hearing, and wellness programs, for example. They also often include prescription drug coverage, also known as Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans.

If you get your prescription drug benefits through a Medicare Advantage plan, you cannot enroll in stand-alone Medicare coverage for prescription drugs through a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan.

Medicare Part D generally covers all commercially available vaccines that are medically necessary to prevent illness. The vaccine must typically be prescribed and administered by a health-care provider who participates in Medicare, and your costs are usually lowest if the provider accepts Medicare assignment. There may be cost sharing involved with Medicare coverage of the TDAP shot, which will vary by plan.

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What Kinds Of Vaccines Does Cvs Offer

CVS Pharmacy offers a full list of vaccines. Among the most commonly requested ones are:

• Influenza : The flu vaccine is offered on a seasonal basis. Two different kinds are available. Four-strain flu vaccine protects against four strains of the virus for children and adults. The high-dose or senior-dose flu vaccine is for people age 65 and older.

• Shingles: The shingles vaccine is recommended for people age 50 and older. It is given in two doses spaced 2 to 6 months apart.

• COVID-19: The long-awaited coronavirus vaccine is finally available to all adults age 16 and older starting April 19 and earlier in many places. A vaccine for younger teens and children is expected later this year.

• Tdap: The CDC recommends the combination tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis vaccine for adolescents and adults every 10 years to protect against all three infections.

Each state has its own age requirements and other vaccine restrictions, so be sure to check your local stores rules before heading to CVS.

Also Check: Who Can Get Shingles Virus

Can Shingles Cause Autoimmune Disease

Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, analyzed Medicare data from 2006 to 2012 to identify nearly 51,000 patients with incident herpes zoster and diagnoses of one of these autoimmune diseases: ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.

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Meningococcal Vaccine Also Available

A meningococcal vaccine is not recommended for all adults. This vaccine may be recommended for you if you have certain risk factors due to your age, health, job, or lifestyle. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist to see if you need this vaccine.

This vaccine is available through local pharmacies as well as in a doctors office.

When Can I Sign Up For One Of Aetnas Medicare Advantageprescription Drug Plans

You can sign up for one of Aetnas Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plans during your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period . For most people, your IEP begins three months before the month you turn 65, includes your birthday month, and ends three months after your birthday month.

If you already have prescription drug coverage through another insurer, or you didnt sign up during your IEP, you can switch to an Aetna Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan during the Annual Enrollment Period . The AEP begins each year on October 15 and ends on December 7. There may be other opportunities to sign up for, or switch to, an Aetna Medicare Advantage plan.

How can you find an Aetna Medicare Advantage plan near you? Start by typing your ZIP code where shown this page.

The formulary may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary See Evidence of Coverage for a complete description of plan benefits, exclusions, limitations and conditions of coverage. Plan features and availability may vary by service area.

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Vaccines Covered By Medicare Part D

Medicare Part D covers all commercially available vaccines needed to prevent illness. You can get Part D coverage through a stand-alone Medicare prescription drug plan or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes drug coverage.

Vaccines covered by Part D include the following:

• Shingles vaccine: One-time vaccine given in two shots over two to six months
• Tdap vaccine : One shot if youve never been vaccinated, and a booster every ten years
• Other vaccines covered: Vaccines that are “reasonable and necessary” to prevent illness and are not covered by Part B

Part D may also cover vaccines you may need if you are traveling internationally. Talk with your doctor about your travel plans and ask what vaccines are recommended.

Does Aetna Medicare Cover Shingles Vaccine

Vaccinations are a critical part of overall health for developing bodies, but theyre also beneficial for adults who require protection from viruses. Following a proper vaccination schedule as recommended by a physician can help to prevent a number of conditions, including the herpes zoster virus, also known as shingles.

Understanding the Effects of ShinglesWhen someone contracts shingles, the disease typically manifests itself through the development of a painful rash. This rash is often red in color and may also include the development of blisters. Those affected may also develop a fever, experience fatigue and suffer from frequent headaches during an outbreak. The rash associated with shingles will usually be located on one side of the torso, but it may appear on both sides or on other areas of the body.

Because the virus takes hold in nerve tissue, pain medication specifically targeting nerve damage may be used. Even after someone has suffered an outbreak and it looks like the symptoms are gone, the disease can still lie dormant for years before striking again. Transmission of shingles often happens through contact with the rash and affected cells that may leak from a blister.

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Find Medicare Advantage Coverage For The Shingles Vaccine

Contact a licensed insurance agent today to find out if a Medicare Advantage plan is available where you live that will cover the shingles vaccine.

Find Medicare plans that cover the shingles vaccine

Or call 1-800-557-6059TTY Users: 711 to speak with a licensed insurance agent. We accept calls 24/7!

1 Umansky, Diane. The New Shingles Vaccine: What You Should Know About Shingrix. . Consumer Reports. Retrieved from www.consumerreports.org/shingles-vaccine/new-shingles-vaccine-shingrix-what-you-should-know.

2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Shingles Vaccination. . Retrieved from www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/shingles/public/shingrix/index.html.

About the author

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with MedicareAdvantage.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known in the insurance industry for the thousands of educational articles hes written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

Christians work as a Medicare expert has appeared in several top-tier and trade news outlets including Forbes, MarketWatch, WebMD and Yahoo! Finance.

Christians passion for his role stems from his desire to make a difference in the senior community. He strongly believes that the more beneficiaries know about their Medicare coverage, the better their overall health and wellness is as a result.

What Percentage Of Seniors Get Shingles

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 1 in 3 people will develop shingles at some point in their life, with the risk of complications climbing significantly after age 60. If youre over age 50, you should talk with a healthcare professional about getting a shingles vaccine.

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How Can You Save On The Cost Of The Shingles Vaccine

These five tips can help you pay less for a shingles vaccine.

Where Can I Get Vaccines I Need

You can get most vaccines at a pharmacy, doctors office, clinic or community health center. Talk with your doctor about what vaccines you may need. Your doctor or Part D plan provider can also help you understand whether your cost will be affected by where you go to get the vaccines that your doctor recommends.

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Does Medicare Cover Shingles And Pneumonia Vaccines

The pneumonia vaccine is fully covered by Medicare Part B at zero cost. The shingles vaccine falls under your prescription drug plan, and you could be covered if you have Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes Part D.

Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the authorâs opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.

Can You Get Shingles If You Had The Chickenpox Vaccine

It depends. Anyone who has ever had chickenpox is susceptible to shingles. When the chickenpox virus comes out of hiding and reactivates, it causes numbness, tingling, blisters, and sometimes flu-like symptoms. If you never had chickenpox because you were vaccinated, you run a very low risk of getting shingles.

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Can Shingles Be Prevented

It’s not always possible to prevent shingles. But the chickenpox vaccine can make a case of shingles less serious. If your child hasn’t had chickenpox, ask your doctor about getting the chickenpox vaccine.

There is a shingles vaccine, but it’s mostly given to older adults. The older someone is, the more severe shingles can be. Kids are unlikely to be seriously affected by shingles.