08 Mar Shingrix Shingles Vaccine Now $0 For Almost Everyone

What is Shingles?

About 1 out of every 3 people in the United States will develop shingles, also known as herpes zoster. Shingles is a painful rash illness, which sometimes leads to long-term nerve pain. If you’ve ever had chickenpox, you can get shingles. Chickenpox and shingles are related because they are caused by the same virus (varicella-zoster virus). After a person recovers from chickenpox, the virus stays dormant (inactive) in the body. It can reactivate years later and cause shingles. Your risk of shingles increases as you get older.

Is there a vaccine available?

A vaccine called Shingrix is the best way to help protect yourself against shingles and is more than 90% effective at preventing shingles and long-term nerve pain.  You may have already got a different shingles vaccine called Zostavax, which is no longer in use in the United States. If you did, you still need 2 doses of Shingrix.

Who should get the Shingrix vaccine?

Adults 50 years and older should get two doses of Shingrix, separated by 2 to 6 months. Adults 19 years and older who have or will have weakened immune systems because of disease or therapy should also get two doses of Shingrix. If needed, people with weakened immune systems can get the second dose 1 to 2 months after the first.

You should get Shingrix even if in the past you:

• Had shingles
• Received Zostavax*
• Received varicella (chickenpox) vaccine

There is no maximum age for getting Shingrix.

Is Shringrix covered under my health plan?

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires all Health Insurance Marketplace plans and most other private health insurance plans to cover all ACIP-recommended vaccines, including SHINGRIX, with no cost sharing (deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance) if administered in-network. Most insurances and Medicare Part D (prescription plan) are now paying for some or all of the cost of Shingrix. You should call your insurance provider before your appointment to see if it is covered.

Information above was found at www.cdc.gov Learn more about Shingles and the Shingrix vaccine by clicking the button below.