According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 200,000 people are hospitalized due to flu-related complications each year in the United States, and about 36,000 people die from flu-related causes. Encourage your patients to get vaccinated—it’s the best way to fight the flu.
 
TRICARE covers the flu vaccine based on the CDC’s current flu season guidelines. Anyone who wants to decrease his or her chances of getting the flu can get vaccinated, but the CDC recommends that people in certain high-risk categories get vaccinated every year.
These include:

• Children ages 6 months through 18 years
• Pregnant women
• People age 50 and older
• People with certain chronic medical conditions
• People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
• People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from the flu, including health care workers, household contacts of other people at high risk and household contacts and caregivers of children less than 6 months old

The flu shot is approved for people age 6 months and older, and the nasal-spray vaccine (FluMist®) is an option for healthy people ages 2–49 years who are not pregnant. In order to be covered by TRICARE, the flu vaccine and other vaccines must be administered in your office. Vaccines can also be administered at one of the convenient MinuteClinics located in select CVS Pharmacies throughout the South Region. Flu vaccines are not covered by TRICARE when provided at other civilian pharmacies, drug stores or supermarkets.
 
The CDC recommends you should begin vaccinating patients as soon as you have the flu vaccine, and you should continue to offer it to patients throughout the flu season. Flu outbreaks can happen as early as October, but activity usually peaks in January or later.
 
If your practice doesn’t offer the flu vaccination, encourage your TRICARE patients to check with their military treatment facility (MTF) to see if the flu vaccine is being offered. Note: Active duty and reserve personnel must receive vaccinations at an MTF. This will ensure their immunization records are complete and their compliance with Department of Defense immunization policy is documented.
 
For more information about the flu and vaccination guidelines, visit the CDC Web site.