Medicare.gov

Flu shots

If you’re 65 or older, you have a higher risk of having serious health complications from the flu. Get the flu shot to help lower your risk of hospital visits and death. To protect yourself this flu season, make sure you:

•    Ask your health care provider or pharmacist about getting a preferred flu shot.
•    Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
•    Wash your hands and clean surfaces you touch often.

The flu shot protects you from getting the flu and keeps you from spreading it to others.

Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance) covers the seasonal flu shot (or vaccine) once per flu season and additional flu shots if it’s medically necessary.

Preferred flu shots

People 65 and older can get a preferred flu shot, which may be a greater benefit than the standard dose. Ask your doctor about getting one of these three preferred vaccines (if available):

  • Fluzone High Dose Quadrivalent
  • Flublok Quadrivalent
  • Fluad Quadrivalent

You can get the standard flu shot if the preferred vaccine isn’t available. 

Your costs in Original Medicare

You pay nothing for a flu shot if your doctor or other health care provider accepts assignment for giving you the shot. If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan, contact your plan for details.

Things to know

  • Don’t wait to get the flu shot. There are many places you can get one, including your doctor’s office and your local pharmacy — contact them for details. Find Flu Vaccines.
  • It’s safe to get the flu shot with other vaccines. You can protect yourself against COVID-19 by getting your COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as your flu shot.

Frequency of services

Your doctor or other health care provider may recommend you get services more often than Medicare covers. Or, they may recommend services that Medicare doesn’t cover. If this happens, you may have to pay some or all of the costs. Ask questions so you understand why your doctor is recommending certain services and if, or how much, Medicare will pay for them.

Related resources

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