October 01, 2005
Remember that the information presented here is not intended to replace the care of your own doctor. Before making any changes in the management of your own illness, you should consult your physician or other qualified medical professionals.
Question
Why doesn't Medicaid cover flu shots for people with diabetes? This makes no sense to me. Why would the goverment pay for test strips but not flu shots?Answer
Good question! I too believe they are short-sighted. Medicaid covers the cost of the expensive hospitalization and treatment to people with chronic disease for the complications caused by flu, and preventive measures such as this can reduce overall costs for people with diabetes. However, local health departments and health institutions provide free or low cost flu clinics which allows the cost to be shifted outside of the Medicaid program.
