Flu Shots

Let the frustration begin. Paul and I are able to get seasonal flu shots through his work for basically free. The company providing them (at his work) will just bill the insurance company and not charge us a co-pay. Here's the catch, they will only administer to persons over 19. This leaves us to figure out how to get Brian his seasonal flu shot (because he needs one). His doctor's office will charge $25 and not bill insurance at all. It would be the same if Paul and I got the shot there also. This is annoying and frusterating because our insurance covers recommended childhood vaccines and would, more than likely cover the shot 100%. Plus our insurance covers it under preventative care.

So, I have tried to check out Walgreens Take Care Clinics. They give flu vaccines to people over 2. They are supposedly partnered with our insurance, but the lady on the phone could not tell me whether or not they bill as an outpatient hospital or an urgent care clinic. It makes a difference on the amount we pay. She told me thay bill as specialty...which is not even on our insurance card anymore. We have office visit copay, er copay, or four levels of phramacy benefits. They best she told me I could do is to ask the nurse practicioner at the clinic. That I have to do in person because there aren't any direct lines to the clinics. I also have to figure out forms of payment accepted such as do they take Walgreens gift cards.

All of this and we have to figure out the H1N1 vaccine too. I know Brian and I definately need to get it. Brian needs it because he is a kid; I need it because of the "underlying" medical condition. Plus whatever I caught last December was labeled as a "virus." I was told by my specialist I may need antiviral drugs if it happens again. Scared the crap out of me. Whatever it was, it sent me into, for a while, Stage 4 (back in Stage 3 quite stable). I'm almost positive Paul needs it too. So, that's at least $75 if we go to our doctor's office, they don't charge a copay, they don't change the price (because it's a new vaccine), and they get the vaccine in October.

Odds are we'll bite the bullet and take Brian into our doctor, sooner rather than later. That way if they get the H1N1 vaccine, he can get it first. But with everything else we'll have to see.