Some Vaccinations Not Covered by Health Insurance

Now there’s one more thing to consider when choosing a health insurance policy that protects your school age children – vaccination coverage.  A recent study by Harvard assistant professor Dr. Grace Lee concluded that many children are underinsured, resulting in incomplete vaccination programs.

There are several factors which helped to create this problem.  In the last five years the number of recommended vaccines has nearly doubled, along with requirements in the timing, age levels, and combinations for maximum results from the injections. 

The cost has skyrocketed as well in the last dozen years – from $155 in 1995 to $1170 in 2007.  Additional shots, like three doses of the human papillomavirus vaccine (at $150 each), hepatitis A, influenza, rotavirus and Tdap caused the increase.  All the changes have resulted in gaps in coverage, such as some insurance policies not covering all the vaccines while others cover the vaccine but not the procedure.  Government programs have provided some relief for the situation, but are not completely covering the shortfall.

So what’s a parent to do?  As you compare coverage of prospective insurance companies, make sure that health vaccinations are one of the included items.  If you don’t specifically see inoculations listed, call each company’s customer service line and ask what’s covered.  Do keep in mind that only more expensive policies may cover everything, so decide whether it’s better for your budget to have a less expensive policy and pay for some of the shots yourself.    That’s why it’s so important to compare health insurance rates and coverages before you buy your policy.