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Any advice on our vaccination quandary for Mac?

Posted by prayformojo (aka mayhem) Oct 23 '24, 08:29

*Our insurance (Kaiser) doesn't have any offices in Savannah
*Our insurance doesn't cover any out-of-network expenses
*She's been trying to get covid and flu vaxx. Everywhere they're available (Publix, Walgreens, CVS) have all quoted her $300 for the combination of the two vaxx.
*We can afford that, but are amazed that there isn't a cheaper alternative
*SCAD doesn't have any type of student health services

Meanwhile
*Her quarter ends 11/15. So, there's only 3 more weeks after this one. After that, shes home for 6 weeks and we can take her to Kaiser the day after she gets home
*Her classes are pretty intense, and it's costly if she misses any classes. I've been nervous about her not being vaccinated yet

I'm inclined to suck it up and pay the $300, but am frustrated/surprised there doesn't seem to be a more reasonable option.

Responses:

Student health services doesn't cover it? That sounds... unlikely. -- nm - Mop🧹 Oct 23, 09:11 1
- there is not student health service, really -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:27
Tim, here's what GoodRx has coupons for. Are all these injections? Is any better than the others? -- (link) - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:10 2
- They’re all the same, just different manufacturers. - Tim Oct 23, 09:22 1
  - thank you! -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:22
Also, does this mean that if she needs any medical treatment down there, you're screwed because out of network? - Dano Oct 23, 09:02 4
- ish? KP has said they'll cover urgent care-type stuff, but now I'm not so sure. And we're in open enrollment now and Heather's going to talk to our HR - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:08 3
  - My Kaiser covers out of network emergency services with a co-pay (I think) of $250. - Meg Oct 23, 09:47 2
    - I hope that one of the plans available through work has this -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:55 1
      - OTOH, mine is a Medicare Advantage plan so Medicare (or you) are paying for it all :/ -- nm - Meg Oct 23, 10:09
Thanks for all the suggestions. I hadn't thought of GoodRx - it looks like they have a coupon for $82 for covid vax. -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:02 3
- oooh, thankx -- nm - zeitgeist Oct 23, 11:35
- Insurance companies hate SlackerRx but they can't stop us from saving people money. -- nm - Max Oct 23, 09:04 1
  - Yeah! and $31.64 for flu vax (Fluzone) -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:07
Wait the 3 weeks -- nm - decline Oct 23, 08:58
I would also say, if it's gonna be three weeks, I'd be okay waiting. (but you all did remind me to schedule mine for this Friday. Thanks for that) -- nm - ty97 Oct 23, 08:55
Does the school have a health center that potentially covers it, or offers it lower cost? - ty97 Oct 23, 08:51 2
- That’s actually surprising to me that pfm suggested Mac’s school didn’t. -- nm - Tim Oct 23, 08:53 1
  - yeah, that's one strange hole in SCAD's student services -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 09:02
They were free for me through CVS. so weird. -- nm - Remlik Oct 23, 08:45 3
- Did you have to provide your insurance? -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 08:47 2
  - If Remlik had previously filled prescriptions there, we had it on file and they covered it. -- nm - Tim Oct 23, 08:48 1
    - that has to be it. Because I do have prescriptions there -- nm - Remlik Oct 23, 09:08
Your prescription insurance doesn’t cover at the pharmacy, or is it because Mac’s out of network being so far away? - Tim Oct 23, 08:44 1
- both, I think, but definitely the latter -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 08:46
I would honestly wait until she gets home unless she is super stressed about it. if it's stressing her out, the expense is worth it. - ☀️ amandachem ☀️ Oct 23, 08:42 2
- Maybe pay for the lesser cost Flu shot, see if local county immunization programs offer COVID for free/less -- (link) - Max Oct 23, 08:51
- this -- nm - Beaker 🍺 Oct 23, 08:42
I didn't realize she was at SCAD. Is she enjoying it? -- nm - Strongbad Oct 23, 08:40
My receipt from Harris Teeter seems to indicate they were $15 each but charged $0, even though I didn't provide an insurer when I made the appt - Max Oct 23, 08:38
Try Costco, you don't have to be a member to use pharmacy, they often have better prices. - colin Oct 23, 08:37
i wish i had advice, but it's so wild to me that vaxes aren't just free. -- nm - Andie Oct 23, 08:32 25
- geez no kidding -- nm - mud Oct 23, 08:57
- srsly. my mom was here when she was due for one and they just gave it to her free, no questions asked. tourist, didn’t check insurance or anything. - mafic Oct 23, 08:54 2
  - flu and covid shots are like that here too. if you have a provincial health care card, they take and i assume bill the province, but they are very - Andie Oct 23, 09:08
  - That’s socialism! -- nm - Tim Oct 23, 08:56
- yeah, this came as a real surprise -- nm - prayformojo Oct 23, 08:46
- Until it became a commercial product last year, the Covid shot was paid for by the government for the uninsured. -- nm - Tim Oct 23, 08:45
- The federal government covered the vaccine until this year. Now that has stopped. CVS quotes $201.99 price for the COVID vaccine. - ty97 Oct 23, 08:45 9
  - Ugh. -- nm - Strongbad Oct 23, 08:46 8
    - It's rather gross (on us as a society) -- nm - ty97 Oct 23, 08:47 7
      - Was it really so long ago that health insurance plans used to cover anything preventative at 100%? - Strongbad Oct 23, 08:50 6
        
        Preventative care is still required to be covered 100%, but only in-network. -- (link) - znufrii Oct 23, 08:54
        
        I think my plan still does, though that may be in-network only -- nm - ty97 Oct 23, 08:50 4
        
        Stupid Cigna told us - Strongbad Oct 23, 08:53 3
        
        I don't even get to choose. My employer works with CVS. -- nm - ty97 Oct 23, 08:56 2
        
        (I have come to dislike CVS, though I do like one employee of the company) -- nm - ty97 Oct 23, 08:57 1
        
        :) -- nm - Tim Oct 23, 08:57
- California is picking up the tab for anyone who doesn't have coverage -- (link) - mr mooch Oct 23, 08:38
- THIS -- nm - Beaker 🍺 Oct 23, 08:35
- I kind of didn't know they weren't. I just make my appointment at Walgreens and they don't charge me, but I assume they charge my insurance. The Osco - pmb Oct 23, 08:34 6
  - I have stupid insurance that only allows vaccines in New Jersey. I tried to get them at my local CVS in PA and it would have cost a couple hundred - decline Oct 23, 08:59 3
    - Do you work for the state? I’ve run into this exact issue in NY. - Tim Oct 23, 09:03 2
      - nope. Horizon BC/BS of NJ has some archaic rule about it -- nm - decline Oct 23, 09:05 1
        
        Yeah, that’s the plan. -- nm - Tim Oct 23, 09:07
  - free* with most insurances says the fine print. -- nm - Tim Oct 23, 08:44
  - mine are free at CVS. they still have my penn state insurance and I've never paid a dime. -- nm - ☀️ amandachem ☀️ Oct 23, 08:41

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Any advice on our vaccination quandary for Mac?

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