The Flu

The cost of the flu shot depends on your insurance. It is not free for everyone.

Although I am not surprised it is not covered on all health insurance programs, it seems stupid for workplace and insurance providers to have a plan that doesn't provide it for free. You would think they wind up paying more in hospital and doctors visits? Maybe not, I am not in the insurance game, so I really have no clue. But it seems like it would, don't ya think? Maybe I am looking too deep into it. lol

And last week the local area hospitals here gave away free flu shots to anyone. Walk up and get it. Seems late, but I guess better late than never. I think it would have been more productive to provide that service back in October.
 
This is wrong. Flu shot contained two strains of A and B.

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/prevent/keyfacts.htm

I believe what the poster is trying to say is that the B strain that is circulating doesn’t match the B strain included in the shot. Different subgroup.

https://www.livescience.com/amp/flu-shot-bad-match-influenza-b.html
Officials looked at the genetic sequence of influenza B strains in a sample of 198 children in Louisiana, finding that nearly all the individuals were infected with a subgroup of influenza B that's not in this year's flu shot. (Specifically, the strain in circulation is known as influenza B/Victoria V1A.3 subgroup, while the strain in the flu shot is known as influenza B/Victoria V1A.1 subgroup.)
 


Although I am not surprised it is not covered on all health insurance programs, it seems stupid for workplace and insurance providers to have a plan that doesn't provide it for free. You would think they wind up paying more in hospital and doctors visits? Maybe not, I am not in the insurance game, so I really have no clue. But it seems like it would, don't ya think? Maybe I am looking too deep into it. lol

With deductibles so high, I'm pretty sure the insurance companies aren't worried. My United Healthcare stock treats me better than their insurance coverage.
 
With deductibles so high, I'm pretty sure the insurance companies aren't worried. My United Healthcare stock treats me better than their insurance coverage.
I have one of those high dollar deductible plans. Flu shots were one of the few things it actually did cover without meeting the deductible.

ACA compliant plans are required to cover them without copayment or coinsurance.
 
So you'd rather have the flu and potentially need hospitalization than have a sore arm for a couple days?

My level of phobia for needles means I have to take meds to get in a doctor's door. It's an entire full day thing and I've not had a fever since college. So yes, I am taking my risks.
 


My level of phobia for needles means I have to take meds to get in a doctor's door. It's an entire full day thing and I've not had a fever since college. So yes, I am taking my risks.

That's pretty crazy. Have you sought therapy to deal with that? What would happen if you were involved in an accident and had to go to a hospital?
 
It's been pretty bad here. It's really just a matter of time before it hits our house.

I'm currently crossing my fingers. One of the kids on my son's basketball team had strep and the flu this weekend. But he was feeling good enough to play. 🤦
 
That's pretty crazy. Have you sought therapy to deal with that? What would happen if you were involved in an accident and had to go to a hospital?

If they're smart they'll knock me out. Though on the subject of accidents I find prepping for some cataclysmic event that may not occur would be terribly stressful, so much like worrying over a car crash or brain injury that may never occur I have no contingency for a terrible accident because I would prefer to think one won't occur. In other words I'll burn that bridge when I come to it, if I come to it. 😆
 
Flu A and flu B are BOTH circulating the school I work at. So are a stomach bug and a non-flu respiratory virus. We saw 30% of students and 20% of staff absent one day last week (with no subs!). SO FAR, none of my students have been diagnosed with the flu, but it's only a matter of time. I got my flu shot this year, so hopefully it'll work for me.
 
If they're smart they'll knock me out. Though on the subject of accidents I find prepping for some cataclysmic event that may not occur would be terribly stressful, so much like worrying over a car crash or brain injury that may never occur I have no contingency for a terrible accident because I would prefer to think one won't occur. In other words I'll burn that bridge when I come to it, if I come to it. 😆

How do you think they administer the drug that will knock you out?

Well, most of the time, in the ER, they won't knock you out. They need those patients alert as much as possible. I'm not even talking about anything catastrophic...one time I had to take my husband to ER for severe upper back pain that was radiating to his chest. It was the middle of the night and he had taken a muscle relaxer before bed and kept nodding off and they made me keep him awake while they ran a bunch of tests to make sure he wasn't having a heart attack. They needed to give him an IV for contrast solution before a CT scan too. They absolutely needed him to stay awake. He was about 35 at the time this happened.
 
How do you think they administer the drug that will knock you out?

Well, most of the time, in the ER, they won't knock you out. They need those patients alert as much as possible. I'm not even talking about anything catastrophic...one time I had to take my husband to ER for severe upper back pain that was radiating to his chest. It was the middle of the night and he had taken a muscle relaxer before bed and kept nodding off and they made me keep him awake while they ran a bunch of tests to make sure he wasn't having a heart attack. They needed to give him an IV for contrast solution before a CT scan too. They absolutely needed him to stay awake. He was about 35 at the time this happened.

I'm fortunate in that no one in my family has had to really deal with much. My dad went to the hospital when he was seventy. My mother in her fifties with a clot in her leg. When I had surgery in 2012 they gave me a cocktail of pills under my tongue and after that I don't recall much but apparently I was still 'awake' and responsive but unconcerned for the IV. I'd have gladly done therapy by now but the cost and availability are major hurdles. Either way I assure you I'm fine, have limited exposure to many people and lead a mostly antisocial life. If I show any signs of illness I have the sick days to stay away home and recover like I did with the respiratory bug.
 
It feels like every day there's a friend or acquaintance posting on social media that their kid has the flu (or they do). I feel like sitting ducks. We got our flu shots in the fall like always, but still.

I'm so anxious this time of year.
 
My daughter had the flu last week. Several kids in her class also had it. All things considered, she did remarkably well for someone who had the flu. She's always been pretty good about washing her hands but this was a good learning opportunity to reinforce the importance of it. We're cruising on the Disney Wonder next month. I told her it would have a catastrophic event had this happened before we left. She is 100% committed to remaining healthy.
 
Brutal. Type A and a shorter duration since we had flu shots. It's been unbearably painful, the respiratory mess lingers, day 5 now and I'm exhausted from lack of sleep. Any day now, waiting to turn that corner and be done with it.
 

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