Covered Vaccines For All Medicare Part B Enrollees

Starting in 2023, Medicare covers more vaccines than ever before, including the costly shingles vaccine.

Here’s a look at all the vaccines you can receive at no cost if you’re enrolled in Medicare.

Medicare’s New 2023 Vaccine Coverage

Medicare has always covered a wide range of vaccines, but there were a few that were not on the covered list, including shingles.

Thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), which was signed into law in August 2022, all adult vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are fully covered by Medicare Part D.

Medicare Part B covers a lot of vaccines in full, but the ones it doesn't – like shingles – are now covered in full by Medicare Part D prescription drug plans.

Free Vaccines for Medicare Beneficiaries

Here's a list of all of the ACIP recommended vaccines, which are now fully covered by Medicare at no cost to you as long as you have Original Medicare and a Medicare Part D drug plan:

• Anthrax
• Cholera
• COVID-19
• Dengue
• DTaP-IPV-Hib-HepB
• DTaP/Tdap/Td
• Ebola
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hib
• HPV
• Influenza
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella
• MMRV
• Meningococcal
• Orthopoxviruses (Smallpox and Monkeypox)
• Pneumococcal
• Polio
• Rabies
• Rotavirus
• RSV
• Typhoid
• Varicella (Chickenpox)
• Yellow Fever
• Zoster (Shingles)

Free Vaccines for Medicare Beneficiaries Without Part D

If you only have Medicare Parts A and B and do not have a Part D prescription drug plan, your list of covered vaccines is a little bit shorter.

Medicare Part B covers the following vaccines at no cost to you:

• Influenza (flu) shots (both seasonal and H1NI)
• Pneumococcal (pneumonia) shots
• Hepatitis B shots
• COVID-19 vaccine

If you want coverage for other vaccines like shingles or Tdap, you'll want to get a Medicare Part D drug plan.

Vaccine Coverage for Medicare Advantage Beneficiaries

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you'll have to check your vaccine coverage with your specific plan.

Medicare Advantage plans are required to offer the same (or better) benefits as Original Medicare. That means at a minimum, all Medicare Advantage plans must cover Influenza shots, Pneumococcal shots, Hepatitis B shots, and the COVID-19 vaccine.

However, vaccines that are now covered under Medicare Part D may not be covered by your Medicare Advantage plan.

If you have questions about what your vaccine coverage is with your specific plan, call our office!

What Vaccines to Get After Age 65

Most vaccines are given in childhood, so what exactly do you need after age 65?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends COVID-19, the flu vaccine, the Tdap vaccine, the Pneumococcal vaccine, and the Shingles vaccine (zoster).

Remember that only COVID-19, flu, and Pneumococcal vaccines are covered under Medicare Part B. You'll need a Medicare Part D drug plan to get the Tdap vaccine at no cost to you.

The CDC also recommends talking to your doctor about RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). If you're age 60+, you may need a single dose of the RSV vaccine.

Conclusion

Many of our clients have Original Medicare coverage with a Medicare Supplement plan and Part D prescription drug plan. This trio is wonderful for vaccine coverage. In almost all cases, you can get vaccinated at zero cost to you.

If you have any questions about your vaccine coverage, just ask us! You don't even have to have your insurance with us – we're here to help.