H1N1 flu vaccine clinic set for eligible students and employees
By: Health Insurance
Submitted: 2009-12-16 13:04:15 | Word Count: 661
University Health Services will hold a H1N1 flu vaccine clinic on Thursday, Dec. 3, in Multipurpose Rooms A and B of the Frist Campus Center for eligible faculty, staff, students and their dependents.
The vaccine clinic will open at 10 a.m. and will remain open until all available doses have been given or until 4:45 p.m. No appointments are necessary, and vaccines will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis.
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The following faculty, staff, students and dependents are eligible to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine at the Dec. 3 clinic, according to the health priority guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dependents eligible for vaccination are spouses, domestic partners and children of students and employees.
* Faculty, staff, students and dependents 10 to 24 years old.
* Faculty, staff, students and dependents who are pregnant. Women must present documentation from a health care provider confirming their pregnancy.
* Faculty, staff, students and dependents who are caregivers of babies less than 6 months old. Caregivers must present the baby's birth certificate as confirmation.
* Faculty, staff, students and dependents 25 to 64 years old with pre-existing medical conditions that may put them at higher risk for flu complications. High-risk medical conditions include asthma, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease and compromised immune systems. In order to be vaccinated, individuals must present documentation of their pre-existing medical condition in the form of a prescription or a note signed by their health care provider. Students who have already identified themselves to UHS as high risk do not need to provide additional documentation.
In order to be vaccinated, individuals must bring their University ID card and their insurance card to the clinic, as well as cash or a check to cover the administrative fee for individuals who are not covered by a University insurance plan.
The federal government is providing doses of the H1N1 vaccine free of cost; however, there are administrative costs associated with distributing the vaccine. Individuals who have the following health insurance plans are covered for the vaccine and may receive the H1N1 vaccine at no cost: the University's Student Health Plan, Aetna insurance plans and United Healthcare insurance plans.
Individuals who are not covered by one of these insurance plans may be charged a $15 fee to cover the administrative costs of distributing the vaccine, depending on their insurance. Students and employees may submit a receipt to private insurance companies for reimbursement, and financial assistance is available for students who are unable to pay the fee.
More information about H1N1 vaccines is available on the University's H1N1 webpage.
A small quantity of vaccine doses first became available to the University in late October, and UHS held H1N1 vaccine clinics on Nov. 4, 10, 16 and 24 for eligible students, employees and dependents according to the CDC's health priority guidelines. Following the Dec. 3 clinic, the University must await more information from the state about when further vaccine shipments may be distributed in order to determine when additional vaccine clinics may be scheduled.
The state is overseeing distribution of H1N1 vaccines to providers in the state. Because limited doses of the H1N1 vaccine will be distributed in staggered shipments, most providers, including the University, are not able to provide vaccinations to all eligible groups during the same time period. Also, given the limited quantities, the University is not able to offer the H1N1 vaccine to all members of the community at this time.
In order to be eligible to receive the vaccine from the state, providers had to agree to distribute vaccinations according to the CDC prioritization guidelines.
