Another Inflation Reduction Act Medicare Gem For You!

 The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), passed in 2022, is an incredibly multi-faceted piece of legislation that impacts numerous aspects of life in America.

It has provisions for the environment, clean economy, healthcare, broadband, medication prices, IRS enforcement of wealthy tax cheats, deficit reduction, rebates and tax credits for energy efficient in homes, and on and on.

Let's talk about a benefit that will hugely impact the health of seniors.

The IRA mandates that all Medicare Part D plans (Part D covers medications) in 2023 and in the future will need to 100% cover all vaccines that the CDC recommends for people over 50 (except those that are already covered by Part A/B - Flu for example).

These now covered (by Part A/B or now Part D) vaccines include:

• Shingles vaccine 
• Pneumonia vaccines
• Tdap (tetanus, diptheria, pertussis - whooping cough) and/or Td (tetanus booster)
• Hepatitis A/B vaccines
• Flu 

You have probably known someone who has had shingles.  As a health care provider, I have diagnosed and treated many cases of shingles - some mild and some severe and painful enough to cause a significant decline in their health and life.

The shingles vaccine usually costs hundreds of dollars and was previously not covered by most insurance or Medicare.  Many of my patients declined getting this vaccine because of the cost thus putting themselves at risk.  Incidentally, many people also don't take medicines due to cost reasons but that is another discussion.

Previously, Medicare also did not pay for the Tdap or Td vaccines.  So why is Tdap important ?  Many seniors are grandparents and love the little bundles of joy that periodically pop into the family.  Tdap is a vaccination for tetanus, diptheria and pertussis (whooping cough).  Whooping cough is especially DANGEROUS to infants and Grandparents would be mortified if they gave a potentially deadly disease to their grandkid new bundle of joy.  Hospitals are now recommending that parents get the Tdap before babies are born for just this reason.

Hopefully, private insurance will adopt these same coverage guidelines.

So, if you have Medicare and Part D, go talk to your healthcare provider about vaccines and protect yourself and your loved ones !

And thank your Congress people who voted for the IRA - this includes Senators Warner and Kaine.  

FYI, Ben Cline voted against this benefit for you and your loved ones.