Vaccines Medicare Covers for Free

Waist-up view of casually dressed woman sitting in family home and smiling at camera as she gestures with pride at adhesive bandage. — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Did you know that Medicare fully covers many vaccines for its beneficiaries? Well, they do. All adult vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices are covered with no out-of-pocket costs. Your Medicare drug plan won't charge you a copayment or apply a deductible for vaccines you receive, including those for shingles, whooping cough, and tetanus.

This list of free vaccines is updated annually, so just because a particular one is on the list this year, it doesn't mean it will be on the list next year. If you are traveling outside of the country, you may want to consult the CDC's list of recommended vaccinations depending on your destination.

The CDC suggests that you make sure you are up to date with all of your routine vaccines. It also recommends that travelers get fully vaccinated against measles before visiting any international destination, as "the majority of measles cases imported into the United States occur in unvaccinated U.S. residents who become infected during international travel." You can see which countries in the world have reported measles outbreaks.

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Routine vaccinations available without any out-of-pocket costs

Smiling nurse giving elderly patient injection for flu vaccination campaign in a medical center to fight winter illnesses or infections

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Vaccine	Covered dosage	Age covered- 65 and over
COVID-19	2 or more doses of 2025-2026 vaccine	Row 0 - Cell 2
Influenza	1 dose annually	(HD–IIV3, RIV3, or aIIV3 preferred)
Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap or Td)	1 dose Tdap, then Td or Tdap every 10 years thereafter.	Row 2 - Cell 2
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)	1 dose	For adults with no evidence of immunity to measles, mumps, or rubella:
Chickenpox- Varicella (VAR)	2 doses	For adults who do not have evidence of immunity.
Shingles- Zoster recombinant (RZV)	2 doses	Row 5 - Cell 2
Vaccine	Covered dosage	Age covered- 60-74
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)	Unvaccinated and at increased risk of severe RSV disease.** See list of risk factors here.	Previously vaccinated: additional doses not recommended.
Vaccine	Covered dosage	Age covered- 75 and over
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)	Unvaccinated: 1 dose.	Previously vaccinated: additional doses not recommended

Covered vaccines that are given when necessary

Some vaccines are only recommended when a patient has a risk factor that makes the vaccination necessary. Those additional factors include: an underlying condition, increased risk from exposure or traveling to a country with a documented increased risk of exposure.

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Pneumococcal (PCV15, PCV20,PCV21, PPSV23)	As determined by your doctor	Which vaccine you receive and when is based on your prior vaccination history
Hepatitis A (HepA)	2, 3, or 4 doses depending on vaccine	Note: Recommended vaccination for adults with an additional risk factor or another indication
Hepatitis B (HepB)	2, 3, or 4 doses depending on vaccine or condition	Notes: Recommended vaccination for adults who meet age requirement, lack documentation of vaccination, or lack evidence of immunity Recommended vaccination for adults with an additional risk factor or another indication
Meningococcal A, C, W, Y (MenACWY)	1 or 2 doses depending on indication	Notes: Recommended vaccination for adults with an additional risk factor or another indication
Meningococcal B (MenB)	2 or 3 doses depending on vaccine and indication	Notes: Recommended vaccination for adults with an additional risk factor or another indication
Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)	1 or 3 doses depending on indication	Note: Recommended vaccination for adults with an additional risk factor or another indication
Mpox	2 doses	Note: Recommended vaccination for adults with an additional risk factor or another indication
Pollio- Inactivated poliovirus (IPV)	Complete 3-dose series if incompletely vaccinated.	Note: Most adults have likely already been vaccinated against poliovirus during childhood.- If you are traveling to a country where there is a documented increased risk of exposure to poliovirus. Ask your healthcare provider if you need a booster.

Get the most from this free benefit

Vacation, holiday and travel concept. Man writing check list note after packing luggage or baggage for journey trip sitting at home. Copy space

Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries have access to routine vaccinations for no additional costs. Check the recommended list of vaccinations yearly, as the list is updated annually. If you are traveling, check to see if any destination-specific vaccines and medicines are covered.

The CDC updates a list of Travel Health Notices to keep you apprised of global health risks during outbreaks and how to travel safely.

If you have a chronic illness, disability, or a weakened immune system, consider getting travel insurance. Why? Original Medicare and most Medigap and Medicare Advantage policies do not offer comprehensive coverage outside of the U.S. Medicare defines the term “outside the U.S.” to mean anywhere other than the 50 states of the U.S., the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Donna joined Kiplinger as a personal finance writer in 2023. She spent more than a decade as the contributing editor of J.K.Lasser's Your Income Tax Guide and edited state specific legal treatises at ALM Media. She has shared her expertise as a guest on Bloomberg, CNN, Fox, NPR, CNBC and many other media outlets around the nation. She is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and the University at Buffalo.