The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) routinely reminds Americans – through print, radio, television, and other means – that vaccines can greatly reduce or eliminate the risk of infectious diseases.
Beyond the COVID-19 vaccine, which has been spotlighted for the past 15 months, pharmaceutical companies promote other vaccines on a regular basis. Among them are Hepatitis, Human Papillomavirus, Influenza, and Shingles.
As part of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), all ACA-compliant plans must include coverage for certain vaccines without a copayment or coinsurance when provided by an in-network health care provider. This is even true for patients who have not yet met their annual plan deductible.
What Vaccines Does Health Insurance Cover?
While dosage and availability vary by patient age and health conditions, most health plans include insurance coverage for the following vaccinations:
- Diphtheria
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Influenza (Flu)
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR)
- Meningococcal (MenB)
- Pneumococcal
- Pertussis (Whooping Cough)
- Tetanus (Lockjaw)
- Varicella (Chickenpox)
The top 10 causes of death in the United States – all exceeding 50,000 lives – are due to the following health conditions:
- Heart disease (nearly 700,000 annually)
- Cancer (602,000+)
- COVID-19 (350,000+)
- Accidents/unintentional injuries (200,000+)
- Stroke/cerebrovascular diseases 160,000+)
- Chronic lower respiratory disease (150,000+)
- Alzheimer’s disease 134,000+)
- Diabetes (102,000+)
- Influenza and Pneumonia (50,000+)
- Nephritis, Nephrotic Syndrome, and Nephrosis (52,500+)
Health plans participating in the CaliforniaChoice private health insurance exchange offer vaccines through physicians’ offices as well as participating retail pharmacies. For more vaccine information, refer to these web pages:
Anthem Blue Cross
Cigna + Oscar
Kaiser Permanente
Health Net
Sharp Health Plan
Sutter Health Plus
COVID-19 Coverage, Cost, and Access to Care
UnitedHealthcare
Western Health Advantage
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Disease
To learn more about preventive care services and other benefits and services offered to members through CaliforniaChoice, talk with your employee benefits broker. If you do not already have a broker, you can search for one on the MyCalChoice website.
