# Has anyone experienced a $185-242 copay for a Shingrix shot?? That is what I have been quoted.



## funsearcher! (Oct 11, 2021)

What is the copay for Shingrix with your Medicare part D plan??


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## GeorgiaXplant (Oct 11, 2021)

There was none.


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## funsearcher! (Oct 11, 2021)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> There was none.


Can I ask where you got the shot?


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## GeorgiaXplant (Oct 11, 2021)

The cost has to do with your insurer. I'm with Kaiser, and I got the vaccine in my doc's office.


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## funsearcher! (Oct 11, 2021)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> The cost has to do with your insurer. I'm with Kaiser, and I got the vaccine in my doc's office.


Is it your Part B plan or your Part D plan that it is billed to??


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## SeaBreeze (Oct 11, 2021)

I was under Kaiser, and had no copay at all.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Oct 11, 2021)

funsearcher! said:


> Is it your Part B plan or your Part D plan that it is billed to??


I have no idea. There is no copay for vaccines with Kaiser Senior Advantage.

ETA: Now that I think about it, it would have been billed to Part B. Part D is for prescription meds. I don't understand why you would have been "quoted" a price. Check your policy. If you can't find the answer there, call your insurer and ask what your copay would be.


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## Butterfly (Oct 11, 2021)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> I have no idea. There is no copay for vaccines with Kaiser Senior Advantage.
> 
> ETA: Now that I think about it, it would have been billed to Part B. Part D is for prescription meds. I don't understand why you would have been "quoted" a price. Check your policy. If you can't find the answer there, call your insurer and ask what your copay would be.



Yup, that's the best way to get correct and current information.  The folks giving the vaccine usually don't have a clue what a particular insurance carrier (or even plain Medicare) will actually pay.


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## oldpop (Oct 11, 2021)

I do not know about your exact situation. I have Medicare and sometimes it takes them a while to pay their part even though the provider may have already billed them. When that happens I get a bill for the full amount but Medicare eventually pays their part. The first time this happened to me I called the provider and that is how it was explained to me. My suggestion is to call the provider and ask them if they have submitted the bill to your insurance yet. I hope this helps.


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 11, 2021)

I believe that the Medicare reimbursement for some vaccinations have changed within the last year or two.

Both of my Shingrix shots were no cost to me at the time.

Check with your insurance provider and also check with the Shingrix website for discount coupons.


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## funsearcher! (Oct 12, 2021)

The Part D provider said my copay is $242 per shot. I found a coupon for $185 per shot.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Oct 12, 2021)

Sounds like you need a different provider! And you can change starting December 7.


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## funsearcher! (Oct 12, 2021)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> Sounds like you need a different provider! And you can change starting December 7.


Checking into it


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## Colleen (Oct 12, 2021)

Are you talking about a shingles shot? If so, hubby and I got ours about 2 years ago at a local pharmacy (because our "doctor" at the time, didn't give shots in his office...not even the flu vaccine) and our insurance didn't cover one penny. We paid almost $600 for our shots and then several months later, I found out they were the "old" shingles vaccine and were only 30% effective.


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## funsearcher! (Oct 12, 2021)

Colleen said:


> Are you talking about a shingles shot? If so, hubby and I got ours about 2 years ago at a local pharmacy (because our "doctor" at the time, didn't give shots in his office...not even the flu vaccine) and our insurance didn't cover one penny. We paid almost $600 for our shots and then several months later, I found out they were the "old" shingles vaccine and were only 30% effective.
> 
> Oh no,  sorry to hear that. I guess the Shingrix was approved by FDA in 2017. I have postponed this a long time,


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## OneEyedDiva (Oct 12, 2021)

I remember my insurance used to cover it years ago, now they don't. I didn't get it though because at the time, I wasn't impressed with the efficacy and didn't know what was in it. I felt that boosting my immune system was a better option. I sure hope it works for me because my niece is among those I know who suffered with shingles and none would wish it on their worst enemy.


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## Kaila (Oct 12, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> I remember my insurance used to cover it years ago, now they don't. I didn't get it though because at the time, I wasn't impressed with the efficacy and didn't know what was in it. I felt that boosting my immune system was a better option. I sure hope it works for me because my niece is among those I know who suffered with shingles and none would wish it on their worst enemy.


I didn't get it in past decades, either, due to the old one having been a live vaccine.
That one has now been completely discontinued in the USA, and the newer one is not live, and has lots of good data now, so I might get it.  That's true that having a shingles episode is very common, and an awful experience.
Of course, I agree that doing other things to boost our health is great, whenever possible.


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## GeorgiaXplant (Oct 12, 2021)

Past decades? The first shingles vaccine was only licensed in 2006, fifteen years ago.


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## Kaila (Oct 12, 2021)

GeorgiaXplant said:


> Past decades? The first shingles vaccine was only licensed in 2006, fifteen years ago.



Gosh, I am sorry. I apologize to everyone, for that error I made!  

I first had written the above post, without that word, and then put it in, which is obviously by mistake.

I know I had considered , for some years, whether to have that previously available shingles vaccine,  and I did not have that one, and now they do have a better one. (Shingrix is safer, and higher effectiveness)
I hope to get that one, at some point.
I think the pharmacist at Walgreens told me it is a 2 dose one, with the interval between the 2 doses, I cannot remember, perhaps a month.

Thanks to this thread, I will not be shocked if it has a significant co-pay.


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## mrstime (Oct 12, 2021)

We paid $400. for the first one because it had just been approved for Canadians. We will talk to our doctor about the new vaccine.


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## Colleen (Oct 13, 2021)

When we got ours (and had to pay almost $600!), we were not aware there was a "newer" version and that it was way more effective. The pharmacist never said a word. Just another reason we quit dealing with that pharmacy. The other reason was...they filled a Rx of mine that I was allergic to but never flagged it or took it out of my profile. It was a good thing I looked at my label before I paid for it and took it home.


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## oldmontana (Oct 14, 2021)

funsearcher! said:


> What is the copay for Shingrix with your Medicare part D plan??


I paid $42 for each shot about two years ago.  I have Medicare Advantage .


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## Kaila (Oct 14, 2021)

The 2 doses of the Shingrix vaccine, are advised to be done at an optimal interval of sometime between 2-6 months, between the 2.


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## funsearcher! (Oct 14, 2021)

Best I could find was $185 so I got the 1st one yesterday. Painful red area on my arm for a few days I guess.


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## Kaila (Oct 14, 2021)

Let us know how you are doing, in coming days or weeks, @funsearcher!


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## funsearcher! (Oct 17, 2021)

Today is day 4 and I still have redness and pain on the arm where I got the Shingrix shot. Wonder how much longer til it's back to normal.


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## Kaila (Oct 17, 2021)

I don't know and I wonder too. @funsearcher! 
Thanks for telling us. I hope it gets better soon. Let us know!


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## Don M. (Oct 17, 2021)

If you are concerned about getting Shingles, I would recommend getting the shot....no matter how much it costs.  

I had shingles many years ago....when I was in my mid 40's.  I started feeling some pain around the noon hour, and it was worse by the minute.  I took off work early, and started home, but as I neared home, I could barely pay attention to my driving.  I went directly to the hospital, and they thought I was having a heart attack.  While they were running various tests, I started having a rash on my chest, which gave the doctors the diagnosis.  They gave me a shot....I don't remember what....and after a few hours, my wife was finally allowed to take me home.  I spent several days at home, nursing this painful rash before I was able to go back to work.  

At that time, they didn't have the vaccine available today, but the doctors said that if I didn't have a recurrence in 2 to 5 years, I should be OK.  Since this occurred so long ago, and I haven't had any more symptoms, I figure I should be ok.  

I'm not a big fan of shots/vaccines.....the Only time I've had the flu, in recent years, was after getting a flu shot.  I did get the Covid shots...primarily because we like to get out of the house, and mingle with the family, etc.


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## Kaila (Oct 20, 2021)

funsearcher! said:


> Today is day 4 and I still have redness and pain on the arm where I got the Shingrix shot. Wonder how much longer til it's back to normal.



Today is day 7.  How are you doing now?


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## funsearcher! (Oct 20, 2021)

Kaila said:


> Today is day 7.  How are you doing now?


Thanks for asking. Still red but not as much and now it is itching


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## Lynk (Oct 21, 2021)

I paid 190.00 for my first shot.  My next shot was 82.00.  I have had the Shingles and do not want it.


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