Does Medicare Cover Shingles Vaccine? (All You Need To Know)

Many seniors get the shingles vaccine every year to prevent this horrible disease. But how much does it cost? Does Medicare cover it?

The short answer is yes, but Medicare Part D is required to cover the shingles vaccine. Medicare Part A and B do not cover the shingles vaccine. You will also have to pay a co-pay if you have not met your Part D deductible for the year.

In this article we are going to go over the cost of the vaccine, and what to do if you are not old enough for Medicare yet or don’t have Medicare Part D.

Table Of Contents

• How To Get The Shingles Vaccine
• Shingles Vaccination Cost
• Medicare Advantage
• Chickenpox And Shingles
• Shingles Symptoms
• Medicare Billing
  
  

How To Get The Shingles Vaccine

If you have Medicare Part D, you can go to any in network pharmacy that accepts Medicare Part D.

Keep in mind that you cannot go to your doctor’s office to get the vaccine, as doctor’s offices do not accept Medicare Part D.

Shingles Vaccine Cost

You will have to pay for the shingles vaccine if you have not met your deductible for the year.

According to GoodRx, the shingles vaccine is $155 if you go through them, but can be as high as $205 if you pay cash or don’t have a prescription drug card. You will also need two rounds of this shot to be fully vaccinated.

Give us a call or chat with a live agent if you need a free prescription drug card, they can help save you money on your prescriptions. All you need is an email.

The cost of the shingles vaccination goes toward your Part D deductible, so you have to pay 100% of the cost if you have not met your deductible yet.

If you are not eligible for Medicare yet and are on an employer’s health care plan of some kind, then those health insurance plans usually cover 100% of the cost of the vaccine. You’ll have to check with your insurance to see what portion they cover.

Medicare Advantage

If you have a Medicare advantage plan with Medicare Part D built in, then the same deductible rules apply. If you have not met your deductible you will be responsible for the cost.

Chickenpox And Shingles

Anyone who has had chickenpox is at a risk of getting shingles. However, if you were vaccinated for chickenpox and never got it, then risk of shingles is very low. You can decide if it is worth getting the shot or not.

If you have already met your deductible, it can be worth it to go ahead and get the shingles vaccine.

Shingles Symptoms

Many seniors regret not getting the shingles vaccine because of how painful this disease is. Very few people regret getting the vaccine, however.

Shingles makes your skin itchy, painful, and cause a rash that blisters all over your body. In severe cases the skin can even become infected and you will need to use antibiotics.

The ultimate decision to get it is yours, but we recommend getting the vaccine if you’ve already met your deductible.

Medicare Billing

If you got the shingles vaccine at your doctor’s office, they will usually bill it under Medicare Part B, and the bill will come back rejected, leading you to pay the bill. Usually this bill is WAY higher than the retail cost of the vaccine!

If you have Medicare Part D, the cost of the vaccine would be around what we mentioned earlier. Don’t pay any bills that are too high before checking with a Medicare expert like us first.

If you don’t have Medicare, then you can use a free prescription drug card to get the vaccine or use your existing health insurance to pay for it.

If you or a loved one need a free prescription drug card not only for shingles but for other prescriptions, give us a call of chat with a live agent and we will send that over to you. All you need is an email.

If you have any other questions regarding Medicare, the Shingles vaccine, or any other type of insurance on our site, please give us a call and we will be here to help answer your questions every step of the way!

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