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My sister got shingles in her 65th year. She still
has residual nerve damage.
My brother got shingles in his 65th year. He's
doing okay.
My next brother just informed me he's got shingles.
He's 65 in two weeks. What are the odds?
We all had chicken pox at the same time. There are
only 5 years difference with 5 children. Could that
strain of chicken pox be to blame? Is that possible.
I'm next and then my younger sister. We got the shot, though.
The older three didn't.
If this helps one person I'll be happy.
I got my first case of shingles at 22. My younger brother at 42.
I have had shingles 3 times and I am under 50. My brother has had them twice now (42, 47).
We have another brother who has not had shingles, yet we all had chicken pox at the same time.
You would think insurance or Medicare would cover this shot. Or a percentage. I have been thinking about it. A friend got it and it was over $200. Seems rather high. I do take L-lysine daily.
I thought it WAS covered by health insurance. I did get the shot, paid for it myself, but was told that I could wait and it would be covered by insurance. Maybe it's not Medicare itself that pays, maybe it's the additional coverage that most of us get.
In my case I had an aunt who had the most horrible and frightening case of shingles that you can imagine so when I heard that a shot was available I ran right out and got it.
You would think insurance or Medicare would cover this shot. Or a percentage. I have been thinking about it. A friend got it and it was over $200. Seems rather high. I do take L-lysine daily.
Both my wife and I had mild cases of chicken pox when we were very young and we both got the shingles shot about four years ago. Neither of us has ever had shingles. Our insurance at the time (pre-Medicare) covered it 100% as well as the polio shot and flu vaccines. We are both now on Medicare and our flu shots continue to be free. Medicare also covers the polio vaccine. Neither Part A or B cover the shingles shot but Part D, if you have it, will. Also, your supplement policy or Medicare Advantage coverage may as preventive care.
All I know is that a friend, who has BC/BS, had to pay for it. She was told is wasn't covered and I believe she wasn't the only one I heard that from.
There is no "one" BC/BS plan. What's covered and what's not covered is determined by the specific contract that BC/BS has with the provider of the plan. I can tell you with 100% certainty that I have BC/BS and it is covered. Here's the pertinent section of my BC/BS benefits brochure:
The Value of Preventive Care Preventive care is important at any age to help identify any health concerns and to give you peace of mind about your health. Early detection of health concerns or problems will allow treatment to begin sooner which may decrease the severity of complications.
We Have You Covered: Under both Standard and Basic Option, you pay nothing for an annual physical and the tests and services usually performed as part of the exam when you use a Preferred provider. You can also count on your Service Benefit Plan to pay for cancer screenings in full when you use a Preferred provider, including colonoscopies to screen for colon cancer and mammograms to screen for breast cancer. The final piece of maintaining your health is immunizations, although most of us think of immunizations as just for children. You pay nothing for shingles vaccines, flu shots, meningococcal vaccines and tetanus-diphtheria boosters, and the related office visit, when you use a Preferred provider.
In the past year I've talked to 4 doctors and 2 pharmacy's that give the shot and all have said that insurance did not cover the shot and the cost's they quoted were between $200.00 and $250.00.
My wife got the shingles a few years ago. She itched badly and was sore to the touch. She went to dematologist as soon as she had an outbreak and the doctor gave her some skin cream and some pills, and within 3 weeks it was all over with. Doc said that it was good that she came in right away to be checked and that's why it didn't get worse. He said too many people wait a long time to finally get some releif.
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