Will Covered California and Medi-Cal cover my flu shot?

Flu and many vaccines are required to be covered by your health insurance without charging a copayment or coinsurance. But, be sure to check with your insurance company to find out if you must go to a specific facility to receive the vaccine. Some insurance plans only cover vaccines given by your doctor or at a limited set of locations.

 

What is a Flu shot?

A Flu shot (aka influenza vaccine) reduces your risk of catching the flu or shortens the duration of the illness. These are typically administered at the start of flu season.

 

What exactly are vaccines?

It’s easy to confuse vaccines with immunization, but actually, they’re two different things.

 

Vaccines are a substance that stimulates the production of antibodies in your immune system. As a result, your body becomes immune to the disease, and you become less likely to get sick. Immunization is the process by which you’re made immune to an infectious disease. It occurs as the result of vaccination, which you receive through a vaccine (aka shot).

 

Vaccines are typically administered via injection, but can also be taken orally or through a nasal spray. Every vaccine has a different period of activation. This means you’ll need to receive certain shots more frequently than others to maintain immunity to those diseases.

 

Why is vaccination important?

It’s a good idea to seriously consider getting yourself and your family vaccinated since they’re the most effective method of disease prevention. For centuries, vaccines have prevented the spread of many serious illnesses like polio, measles, hepatitis, and meningitis. As a result, fewer people suffer from their lasting effects, and many lives have been saved.

 

Are there health risks to getting vaccinated?

There are no proven scientific studies showing that vaccinations are connected to cognitive dysfunction or learning disabilities in either children or adults. 

 

Source:

HHS.gov

Oscar Health