Did you know Medicare does not pay for tetanus booster shots? But

[sinkingfeeling]

they will if you have an immediate need for one by getting hurt. So, I needed to renew my tetanus vaccine to travel and was told this. I asked if a cat bite would suffice and she looked it up. Yes, a cat bite qualified for Medicare paid shot.

I have a scab on my forearm from a bite I got on June 3 from my not-so-loving 15 year old cat.
I came home and gave him a nice treat.

[keithbvadu2]

1. That's just the cat's meow.

That's just the cat's meow.

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. I feel for ya. I am sorely disappointed that the Shingles vaccine must come out of MY pocket

That's $177 per shot.

[Jilly_in_VA]

3. THAT one

really pisses me off. Especially with all the ads on TV pushing us to get it, and the posters in the doctor's office too....and we can't get it there either!

[csziggy]

4. Yeah, the shingles shot payment pissed me off

But I really needed it - I had chicken pox and know that the virus is already in my body. I have a different herpes zoster virus that has lived in my left hand for over fifty years and flares up sometimes when I am under stress. It feels exactly like shingles, but is restricted to one area. Mu doctor and I are hoping that the Shingrix shots will protect me from both. So far, since my shots, the virus in my hand has not flared up, but I keep valcyclovir anti-viral on hand just in case. I hope that last batch of valcyclovir will expire without another flare up and that I never have to experience full fledged shingles, like my father did!

[TimeToGo]

7. I'm not on Medicare

But will be as retirement gets closer.

This seems to indicate that it does

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/shingles-shots

Am i missing something? I will admit that I find Medicare confusing.

[radical noodle]

18. It's Plan D that pays (the prescription drug plan)

Some people don't have the Plan D coverage. Those plans vary, so some might cover and some might not.

[TimeToGo]

22. Craziness

[Ferrets are Cool]

19. I got my first one while I was on ObamaCare. It paid for all of it.

Once I went on Medicare, the price went up to $177. How farking stupid is THAT?

[LakeArenal]

9. Mine was $249. Mr Lakes supplement paid his. We

[AncientOfDays]

11. Wow!

I have Medicare Advantage with Kaiser - I just got Shingles booster (and will need another in 6 months) for $0 - not even a copay.

[Ferrets are Cool]

20. You are lucky, BCBS pays none of it. I have great coverage except for this...

AFAIK

[Ilsa]

12. Thank you for letting me know.

I'm a few years from Medicare, and I'll have secondary insurance, but I don't know if the private coverage will kick in if Medicare thinks it's unnecessary. I might need to get my boosters early.

[MiniMe]

13. I got my shingles vaccine before my Medicare kicked in

I'm actually waiting for it to kick in, mine starts in August.

[mwooldri]

5. So ... Stick a rusty nail into your body on purpose...

... and qualify for a tetanus booster? Or scratch yourself on some rusty barbed wire? Horrid way to go about it...

[question everything]

8. Too many are used to and expect freebies

That's how the 2020 Democratic primaries played for a long time

[questionseverything]

23. Since I have paid into medicare since I was 12, I don't consider it a "freebie "

[MissB]

6. that's just bizarre that they don't cover it!

I mean, it's kind of important?

good tip!

[paleotn]

10. That's easily remedied.

Don't you just love mindless policies only a Vogon like bureaucrat would think up?

[Ilsa]

14. That's a great reference: "Vogon-like bureaucrat" nt

[Ferrets are Cool]

21. +1

[avebury]

15. People should check out their county

health departments for shots. I went to Egypt several years ago and was able to get all of my shots at no cost at the county health department.

[ohmeohmy]

16. Good Kitty;- )

[Raven123]

17. It's a Part D benefit

https://www.medicare.gov/coverage/tdap-shots


Which means you must check with your Part D plan, if you have one or Medicare Advantage if you went that route.

[IcyPeas]

24. My doctor suggested I get a tetanus shot but I declined.

Explain to me like I'm five years old why I would need this particular vaccine (TDAP).


I've gotten the Shingrix vaccines, all the Covid vaccines/boosters, flu too. I am not at all anti vaccine. I just don't understand the TDAP one.

[sinkingfeeling]

26. Tetanus is lock jaw. One can get it from any type of puncture

wound.

Tetanus is a potentially fatal bacterial infection that affects the nerves. A vaccine can easily prevent the infection, which has no cure.


https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/about/causes-transmission.html

Recommended to have vaccination every 10 years. It's required for some international travell.

[womanofthehills]

27. Except some new university studies say every 30 yrs

And the WHO says childhood tetanus vaccines last a lifetime. Our CDC says ten years. According to WHO’s world cases tetanus charts , we have had no tetanus cases in US in past few yrs. Tetanus mostly in South Africa and Asia.

[womanofthehills]

28. New study - Adults don't need tetanus, diphtheria boosters if fully vaccinated as children, study f

Adults do not need tetanus or diphtheria booster shots if they’ve already completed their childhood vaccination series against these rare, but debilitating diseases, according to research published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

The conclusion aligns with the World Health Organization’s recent recommendations to only routinely give adults tetanus and diphtheria vaccines if they didn’t receive a full series of shots as children. In the U.S., the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices still recommends all adults receive booster shots every 10 years.

https://news.ohsu.edu/2020/02/25/adults-dont-need-tetanus-diphtheria-boosters-if-fully-vaccinated-as-children-study-finds

[Emile]

25. How can I get Medicare to pay for a shingles shot?