[eeroger]

[QUOTE=Darield;2123252]At the end of last year I had to go to an Urgent Care because I sliced my finger and needed stitches. They would not give me a Tetanus shot and said go to the pharmacy. Although all of my deductibles were paid, The Pharmacy said it would be $110. I went to another Urgent Care and as long as I asked to have my finger re-bandaged and checked, the Tetanus shot was covered under my insurance and no charge. Once again, I went into a pharmacy for a Shingles shot and they wanted $220. My doctor said to get it at the pharmacy. I have spent a walloping $12 on prescriptions this year so I'm certainly not maxed out. The explanation from the pharmacy is; according to Medicare classic this is a pharmacy charge not a medical charge.

Has anyone else run into this problem? Does anyone have a solution other than to find a doctor's office that will give vaccines or pay these high prices?

No. I received my Shingles shot at Publix and Medicare covered it. Tetanus only needs to be given once every 10 years. You can google your vaccine records. Don't remember the exact site, bit wasn't hard to find.

[cherylncliff]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Medicare Part B covers some vaccines, but not the shingles vaccine. The Shingrix vaccine requires 2 shots and you need to pay separately for each shot, unless you have an insurance plan that will cover them. My Federal Blue Cross plan paid for mine.

Personally, I think the patient should pay for all of these relatively low cost medical procedures to encourage competitive pricing. Insurance should only cover the high priced procedures that most people can't afford.

The intent is to encourage people to get preventive care, like vaccines and checkups, to prevent needing much more expensive care, like hospitalization, after getting sick.

[Lindaws]

For shingles, once you are on Medicare , you pay for the “drug” that goes in the shot. We paid $36.

[virtue51]

Every insurance plan is different - no one can answer your question -- look at your insurance plan regarding coverage.

[NotGolfer]

What many don't know is, we can have an allergic reaction at any time. For instance I used to be able to take certain RX medications just fine....then later I couldn't due to an acquired allergic reaction. I now have 7 medications on my list of "DON'T GIVE THIS TO THEM". It makes things more complicated when one becomes ill. I had a reaction to the shingles shot (think it was the 2nd one)....if more would be required, I would take a pass. I also have issues with antibiotics and some pain meds as well.

[miketinawilliamson]

Try health department

[Birdrm]

I went to CVS and got my Covid booster and Shingles first dose for no cost!

[Whitley]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

We have found pharmacies cheaper for injection but as I recall did have to pay something. Had shingles vaccine at sams but think it was covered by insurance

Does one need to have had chicken pox to get shingles?

[Whitley]

Originally Posted by keepsake

Some of these 'vaccines' should be given in a medical environment. I will not trust the side-effect care available at a pharmacy.
This is one BAD MOVE by medicare.

I know it sounds silly, but some folks are triggered by "quotations". May want to remove them? Maybe Not?

[jmpate]

Some vaccines like the Shingles shot, are given at pharmacies due to refrigeration requirements, shelf life and cost.
A tetanus shot is a customary injection with any type of cut especially if it's a dirty wound. UC Clinics generally have this med in stock as it's given often for injuries such as yours.

Agree w/other posts, that health insurances cover at different rates.
Suggest contacting ur PCP, requesting a tetanus shot if it's been more than 5 years since ur last one.

Hope this helps!

Originally Posted by Darield

At the end of last year I had to go to an Urgent Care because I sliced my finger and needed stitches. They would not give me a Tetanus shot and said go to the pharmacy. Although all of my deductibles were paid, The Pharmacy said it would be $110. I went to another Urgent Care and as long as I asked to have my finger re-bandaged and checked, the Tetanus shot was covered under my insurance and no charge. Once again, I went into a pharmacy for a Shingles shot and they wanted $220. My doctor said to get it at the pharmacy. I have spent a walloping $12 on prescriptions this year so I'm certainly not maxed out. The explanation from the pharmacy is; according to Medicare classic this is a pharmacy charge not a medical charge.

Has anyone else run into this problem? Does anyone have a solution other than to find a doctor's office that will give vaccines or pay these high prices?

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Whitley

Does one need to have had chicken pox to get shingles?

First straightforward medical question in quite a while---thank you.

Yes, you must have had chicken pox to get shingles (Herpes zoster)

When you are originally infected with Varicella (chicken pox), preferably as a child, the virus stays dormant in 33 pairs of dorsal root ganglia and 12 pairs of cranial nerve ganglia for the rest of your life. At some later point in that life, either due to concurrent illness, immunosuppression, stress, or just age, the virus can "crawl" down one of those nerves and cause the classic shingles skin breakout in just one dermatome. (You can actually have 2 adjacent dermatomes affected, but anything more is disseminated Zoster, in which case make sure your will is up to date.)

Now, there will be people who claim they got Zoster but never had chicken pox. In reality, 90+% of the population know they had it, and of the 10% who don't think they had it, 95% will have Varicella antibodies. The 0.5% of the population that actually never had chicken pox CANNOT get shingles. Also, know this---you can't get shingles from someone with shingles, you can only get primary chicken pox if you are not immune.

[Redsmom]

“Not sure why you'd type 'vaccines' as though you consider the word suspect…”

If the polio vaccine was only as effective as the COVID-19 “vaccine “ we would be in a world of hurt.

[Rose Ann Vinci Igoe]

Originally Posted by Darield

At the end of last year I had to go to an Urgent Care because I sliced my finger and needed stitches. They would not give me a Tetanus shot and said go to the pharmacy. Although all of my deductibles were paid, The Pharmacy said it would be $110. I went to another Urgent Care and as long as I asked to have my finger re-bandaged and checked, the Tetanus shot was covered under my insurance and no charge. Once again, I went into a pharmacy for a Shingles shot and they wanted $220. My doctor said to get it at the pharmacy. I have spent a walloping $12 on prescriptions this year so I'm certainly not maxed out. The explanation from the pharmacy is; according to Medicare classic this is a pharmacy charge not a medical charge.

Has anyone else run into this problem? Does anyone have a solution other than to find a doctor's office that will give vaccines or pay these high prices?

I am on medicare and have No problem with all these shots FREE w my primary doctor. call your medicare and ask directly....

[Whitley]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

First straightforward medical question in quite a while---thank you.

Yes, you must have had chicken pox to get shingles (Herpes zoster)

When you are originally infected with Varicella (chicken pox), preferably as a child, the virus stays dormant in 33 pairs of dorsal root ganglia and 12 pairs of cranial nerve ganglia for the rest of your life. At some later point in that life, either due to concurrent illness, immunosuppression, stress, or just age, the virus can "crawl" down one of those nerves and cause the classic shingles skin breakout in just one dermatome. (You can actually have 2 adjacent dermatomes affected, but anything more is disseminated Zoster, in which case make sure your will is up to date.)

Now, there will be people who claim they got Zoster but never had chicken pox. In reality, 90+% of the population know they had it, and of the 10% who don't think they had it, 95% will have Varicella antibodies. The 0.5% of the population that actually never had chicken pox CANNOT get shingles. Also, know this---you can't get shingles from someone with shingles, you can only get primary chicken pox if you are not immune.

Thank You. My medical records do not show chicken pox. Of course I can be in the ten percent who did not know. I mentioned to the doctor that I never had chicken pox and his brief answer was "yes you did". I had thought the unusual rashes and joint pain may be from cancer treatments I had. The pain is similar to what I felt when I was getting procrit shots. Thank you once again.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Rose Ann Vinci Igoe

I am on medicare and have No problem with all these shots FREE w my primary doctor. call your medicare and ask directly....

The Shingrix vaccine is not covered by Medicare Part A or Part B. It may be covered by a Part D drug plan, depending on the plan you have.