Key takeaways
- Medicare Part D generally covers most vaccines, including those for shingles and RSV, while Part B covers vaccines for the flu, pneumonia, and COVID-19.
- Beneficiaries typically have no out-of-pocket expenses for vaccines recommended by the ACIP under Medicare Part D, but Part B may require meeting a deductible before coverage begins.
- Medicare Advantage plans (Part C) usually offer the same vaccine coverage as Original Medicare (Parts A and B) and may include Part D coverage, but a person should confirm the specifics of their plan.
Medicare offers all vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at no cost to the individual, other than the costs of the plan itself. In some cases, Medicare may also cover travel vaccines.
Read on to learn more about Medicare’s vaccination coverage and what costs it may involve.
Glossary of Medicare terms
- Out-of-pocket cost: This is the amount a person must pay for care when Medicare does not pay the total amount or offer coverage. Costs can include deductibles, coinsurance, copayments, and premiums.
- Premium: This is the amount of money someone pays each month for Medicare coverage.
- Deductible: This is an annual amount a person must spend out of pocket within a certain period before Medicare starts to fund their treatments.
- Coinsurance: This is the percentage of treatment costs that a person must self-fund. For Medicare Part B, coinsurance is 20%.
- Copayment: This is a fixed dollar amount a person with insurance pays when receiving certain treatments. For Medicare, this usually applies to prescription drugs.
Medicare Part D provides prescription drug coverage. It covers most commercially available vaccines and immunizations.
Examples of covered vaccines include:
Part D also covers travel vaccines that the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends, such as vaccines for:
A person can contact Medicare to find out whether their specific Plan D formulary covers vaccines they may need for travel. A formulary is a list of covered medications.
Although Medicare Part D covers most vaccinations, some coverage falls under Medicare Part B instead.
Medicare Part B covers vaccines for:
Part B also covers tetanus and rabies shots if a person has been recently exposed or is at immediate risk of either condition.
Medicare Advantage, also known as Medicare Part C, bundles together both parts of Original Medicare (parts A and B) and usually includes Part D.
This means that Medicare Advantage typically provides the same vaccine coverage as Parts B and D.
Under Medicare Part D, there are no out-of-pocket costs for all adult vaccines that the ACIP
Under Medicare Part B, on the other hand, the plan will pay for 95% of the cost of the vaccine once a person meets their deductible, which in 2025 is $257. The only exception to this is the flu vaccine, which does not count for the deductible and is fully covered.
In addition, for both Part B and Part D, a person must pay a monthly premium to stay covered. For Part B, this premium starts at $185, depending on a person’s income. For Part D, premiums vary by plan. The national base beneficiary premium is $36.78 in 2025.
Under Medicare Advantage (Part C), a person will get the same coverage for vaccines covered under Part B. Premiums for Part C plans also vary. According to the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare (CMS), the average monthly premium for Part C plans is around $17.00 in 2025.
If a person’s Part C plan includes Part D coverage, then that plan will also cover Part D vaccines at no cost. Otherwise, a person can purchase a stand-alone Part D plan with their Part C plan.
Medicare resources
For more resources to help guide you through the complex world of medical insurance, visit our Medicare hub.
Under Part D, all commercially available vaccines are included when deemed essential for illness prevention, except those already covered under Part B.
However, newly approved vaccines might not be instantly added to the Part D plan’s formulary. If this happens, a person’s doctor can request that the insurance plan qualify the person through Medicare’s rules on Part D vaccines using the formulary exemption process.
Medicare Part D covers most vaccines and immunizations for adults, including shingles, hepatitis A, and Tdap. Part B covers a few specific vaccinations for conditions such as the flu, pneumonia, hepatitis B, and COVID-19.
Medicare Advantage and Medicaid also cover vaccines.
There are usually no out-of-pocket costs for vaccines that the ACIP recommends. This includes some travel vaccines.
A person can contact Medicare to find out more about their specific plan’s coverage for vaccines and immunizations.
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