It’s just about that time of year again, when flu season hits. This year, there’s a new vaccine, covered in full under Medicare Part D, which helps prevent coughs and shortness of breath resulting from an RSV respiratory infection. But, the New York Times reports that some pharmacies are charging people with Medicare more than $300 for the vaccine.
RSV or respiratory syncytial virus kills as many as 10,000 people in the US every year and leads to as many as 160,000 hospitalizations. Two new FDA-approved vaccines have a very high likelihood of preventing hospitalizations and death from respiratory tract disease. But some commercial insurers are not covering it.
According to the CDC, RSV is a common respiratory virus. Symptoms tend to be mild and cold-like, a runny nose, coughing, sneezing, fever or wheezing. But, sometimes people become short of breath or face lower oxygen levels. You can catch RSV from other people, usually through coughs or sneezes coming in contact with your nose or mouth or eyes. You can also catch it from touching a surface that has the virus on it.
The CDC recommends that adults 60 years and older get a single dose of RSV vaccine, if your primary care doctor agrees. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at the highest risk of hospitalization from RSV. Older adults living in nursing homes or long-term care facilities are also at high risk. You can get the vaccine at the same time that you get your flu shot or other vaccines.
Blue Cross, Blue Shield won’t cover the vaccine because it is not yet on the centers for Disease Control’s vaccine schedule for older adults.
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