Shingles vaccine, cost? Insurance?

[easyas123]

We got our vaccine at $0 cost w/ our insurance (United Healthcare in MD). Husband was tired after his first. He isn't getting his second shot for a few weeks yet.
I had not side effects beyond a sore arm for about 24 hours. I was concerned, because one hears so much about the side effects of this particular vaccine.

 

[HopperFan]

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[SL6827]

Both my mother and brother got shingles so I saw this… excruciating pain. Got it as soon as I could… covered by insurance but honestly I’d have paid for it!

Right, I'll pay if I have to.

 

[MsOnceUponATime]

When my husband got the vaccine at 50, he paid about $300 out of pocket for the vaccine.
We changed insurance about a year later, mine was completely covered.
Call your insurance and check with them before your request it so you will know which way it will go.

I had a friend who got shingles at 39 years old and had it in her eye and needed to see the eye doc every day for a week.
She said the pain makes the vaccine well worthwhile and talked me into getting it.

Saw the title and had to read more... and then I wanted to say:

I also had shingles in my 30's. I also somehow had it in my eye. I had a VERY mild case of shingles, just two little spots on my forearm, but I wanted to say that there is honestly no equivalent to the shingles pain that I experienced. I actually went to the doctor for what I thought was a spider bite on my forearm and she diagnosed shingles and was very informative.

I plan to get the shingles shot once I turn 50. With no hesitation.

@OP - Please come back and let us know if your insturance covers it. I'll check into mine next week.

 

[SL6827]

Saw the title and had to read more... and then I wanted to say:

I also had shingles in my 30's. I also somehow had it in my eye. I had a VERY mild case of shingles, just two little spots on my forearm, but I wanted to say that there is honestly no equivalent to the shingles pain that I experienced. I actually went to the doctor for what I thought was a spider bite on my forearm and she diagnosed shingles and was very informative.

I plan to get the shingles shot once I turn 50. With no hesitation.

@OP - Please come back and let us know if your insturance covers it. I'll check into mine next week.

I'll get it next month. I'll report back.

 

[clh2]

My husband never even had chicken pox as a child. Not sure how that happened. Should he be concerned about any of this?

I’m 62 (for reference). (Long before the vaccine for chicken pix was available).

My mom kept me home from kindergarten 1 day, when she thought I had chicken pox. Both of my sisters had it. The next day, no sign of anything.

After the vaccine was available, I asked my physician if I should get it. Physician ordered a blood test to see if I had chicken pox. Turns out the results indicated I had chicken pox at some point in my life. Physician did say some people just get a very mild case, and that I probably did have it for one day.

Back to the question…I had no issue getting shingles vaccine, I was 60 at the time, insurance covered, no issue.

 

[#1hoosierfan]

Any bad side effects from the vaccine?

I had no side effects from the first shot. I felt like total crap for about 24 hours after the second.

My insurance paid for it. I had it done at Walgreens.

 

[beccasmom]

I am 67 and had chicken pox as a child (first or second grade). I received the shingles shots about 2 years ago and had no side effects except chills with the second shot. Our insurance paid for it. My DH did have some flu-like side effects with his second shot and was not a happy camper for a day or two. However, I know three people who have had shingles (my mom, an aunt, and a colleague at work) and it was very difficult to go through. I am glad the shot is available.

 

[brewcrew]

I got the 2 dose Shingles vaccine 3 years ago (when I turned 50). It was covered 100% at my PCP office. I had a rash develop at the injection site so had to take Benadryl for second dose but still had small rash. It went away within a few days both times. I will gladly take a little rash and arm pain then to have singles itself. It can be brutal!

 

[Skywalker3]

I got shingles in my late 30s, when I was pregnant with my last child. Not that I really know what this feels like, but I think it would compare to someone sticking a hot poker in you, and twisting it, burning from the inside. Just HORRIBLE!
Got my first shingles shot, older version, when I was 45. It was covered by our insurance since I'd had shingles before. Got the 2 dose, new version in my early 50s, also covered by our insurance.
Good luck with yours. I only had a slight fever with my last injection, and some soreness at the site. Hopefully you wont have any side effects, and insurance will cover it.

 

[MrsPete]

I had the Shingles vaxx ... I think I had it a year or two before I was 50. Insurance wouldn't pay for it, so I paid out of pocket. I want to say it was about $200, but several of my friends (some of them younger!) popped up with Shingles, and their stories were scary. I wanted to be SURE I wouldn't get it, and I was very willing to pay $200 to cross that item off my list of concerns.

Notes for anyone who's planning to get it:
- I spoke to the doctor about it at a check-up, and he set me up to get the shots at Target Pharmacy.
- They didn't always keep the vaccine in stock; they had to order it for me -- it came in about a week later -- and they kept the second vial in the refrigerator with my name on it.
- It was a two-shot vaccination. I think it was two months between the two.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I had the Shingles vaxx ... I think I had it a year or two before I was 50. Insurance wouldn't pay for it, so I paid out of pocket. I want to say it was about $200, but several of my friends (some of them younger!) popped up with Shingles, and their stories were scary. I wanted to be SURE I wouldn't get it, and I was very willing to pay $200 to cross that item off my list of concerns.

Notes for anyone who's planning to get it:
- I spoke to the doctor about it at a check-up, and he set me up to get the shots at Target Pharmacy.
- They didn't always keep the vaccine in stock; they had to order it for me -- it came in about a week later -- and they kept the second vial in the refrigerator with my name on it.
- It was a two-shot vaccination. I think it was two months between the two.

Finding it was my biggest issue. Several years ago… before Covid… shingles vax was scarcer than hens teeth in north Jersey. I finally found it at a Stop & Shop pharmacy but they only bill the drug plan. My vaccines need to be billed under medical which they are not set up to do. CVS, my regular pharmacy, does this routinely and I was finally able to get the two shots there. I’m guessing supply is no longer an issue… at least I hope so!

 

[AussieFan8]

Be sure to check carefully with your insurance. Multiple pharmacies told me that it wasn’t covered since I was under the age of 65, and the cost was going to be $180 per shot. I then remembered my insurance has a special arrangement with CVS so I contacted them and was able to get both shots at no cost to me. In retrospect I should have called my insurance company to ask, but when I asked the first pharmacy and they said it wasn’t covered, I assumed it wasn’t covered anywhere.

My husband’s insurance covers both shots after age 50.

 

[MrsPete]

Finding it was my biggest issue. Several years ago… before Covid… shingles vax was scarcer than hens teeth in north Jersey. I finally found it at a Stop & Shop pharmacy but they only bill the drug plan. My vaccines need to be billed under medical which they are not set up to do. CVS, my regular pharmacy, does this routinely and I was finally able to get the two shots there. I’m guessing supply is no longer an issue… at least I hope so!

I didn't know it was hard to find. I spoke to my doctor about it -- he "had it ordered to" the pharmacy, and a week later I was rolling up my sleeve. Maybe I was just lucky.

Be sure to check carefully with your insurance. Multiple pharmacies told me that it wasn’t covered since I was under the age of 65, and the cost was going to be $180 per shot. I then remembered my insurance has a special arrangement with CVS so I contacted them and was able to get both shots at no cost to me. In retrospect I should have called my insurance company to ask, but when I asked the first pharmacy and they said it wasn’t covered, I assumed it wasn’t covered anywhere.

My husband’s insurance covers both shots after age 50.

I paid out of pocket because I had it before 50 -- I think I paid about the same amount you did, and I don't regret it one bit. If you wait until insurance says you're "old enough", you might get caught with the disease /pain -- and that evil can last for years! A 20-something friend of mine said she could barely bear to wear her husband's softest over-sized tee-shirt around the house, her skin was so painful. I say, if you can afford to go to Disney, you can afford to pay for this vaccine -- cross that potential problem off your list!

 

[AussieFan8]

I paid out of pocket because I had it before 50 -- I think I paid about the same amount you did, and I don't regret it one bit. If you wait until insurance says you're "old enough", you might get caught with the disease /pain -- and that evil can last for years! A 20-something friend of mine said she could barely bear to wear her husband's softest over-sized tee-shirt around the house, her skin was so painful. I say, if you can afford to go to Disney, you can afford to pay for this vaccine -- cross that potential problem off your list!

I agree - I still would have still gotten it if I had to pay for it. I had shingles about six months prior to getting the shot (when I was 51) and it was miserable. Far worse than the side effects of the second shot.