Free Flu Shots for Members

flu shotThe State Health Plan encourages good health and prevention for all of our members.  The Centers for Disease Control reports that more than 200,000 people are hospitalized every year from the flu and its complications.  You can reduce your risk by getting an annual flu shot.

Once again, the State Health Plan is promoting the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) ‘Stick it to the Flu’ program, in order to make getting a seasonal flu shot convenient for our members.  The flu vaccine is available to all State Health Plan members, at no charge, when you receive a flu shot at your work place or in-network doctor’s office.  Members may also get a free flu shot at a participating health department or from an in-network immunizing pharmacist.  The free flu shot program will run from October 1 through December 31, 2009.

If you are an active employee or a state retiree, check with your agency, or the agency from which you retired, to see if they are holding a work site clinic. You may also click here to find a listing of clinics currently scheduled by agency name.  To find a listing of clinics currently scheduled sorted by city, click here. The schedules will be updated monthly, so please check with your health benefits representative to confirm a worksite clinic.

All family members covered by BCBSNC, but not necessarily covered by the State Health Plan, may attend a worksite clinic at no charge.  Please note that children under the age of nine need to receive a children’s dose and, therefore, must obtain their flu shot through a physician’s office.

The State Health Plan has also requested that Community Colleges open their flu shot clinics to retirees.  State retirees may call the contact person at their local community college to participate in the college’s free flu shot clinic.  For a listing of Community Colleges holding a flu shot clinic open to state retirees, please click here.

Remember, you may also receive a flu shot from your doctor’s office, participating health department, or from an in-network immunizing pharmacist.  Click here for a list of in-network Health Departments.  And to see if there is a participating, licensed immunizing pharmacist or a CVS Minute Clinic near you, visit the Doctors, Rx and Hospitalssection of the BCBSNC Web site.  Search for “pharmacist (Flu & Other Injections)” under Specialty.  To find a participating CVS Minute Clinic, search for “Convenience Care Center” under Specialty.  Please note that only State Health Plan members 18 years of age and older may receive flu vaccines from immunizing pharmacists.

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Another resource to find a convenient location for getting your flu shot is Maxim Health, the company that conducts BCBSNC’s flu shot clinics.  Visit Maxim’s Web site, type in your zip code, and locate the nearest scheduled clinic to your home or work.  Many of the Maxim Flu Shot clinics are scheduled at local retail locations.  All flu shots provided at the scheduled Maxim Health Flu Shot Clinics are considered in-network and free of charge to State Health Plan members.

For additional information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions on the BCBSNC Web Site.  You may also contact customer service at 1-888-234-2416.

PLEASE NOTE -- H1N1 Influenza (swine flu):  The seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against the H1N1 influenza virus (swine flu).  Protection against H1N1 influenza requires a separate vaccine, which has just been approved by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).  H1N1 vaccine availability will depend on the CDC recommendations and available supply.  

BCBSNC will provide updates to the State Health Plan as more information becomes available.

To learn more on H1N1 Influenza, here are some reliable resources to help answer your questions about prevention and identifying symptoms:

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