You may need a hepatitis A shot, but can you afford it?

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) —  How much does the hepatitis A vaccination actually cost?

We’ve seen several health departments recommending people get vaccinated but what if they can’t afford it? Some insurances don’t cover the shot.

Melodie Hawkins, owner and pharmacist at Northview Pharmacy in Mt. Sterling, says if insurance doesn’t cover any part of the immunization than it costs the patient around $86.

The pharmacy says out of more than 100 immunizations it’s given they’ve seen that 65% have had zero copay so their insurance paid the full amount of the vaccination.

She says they’ve had about 30% that have had a copay that ranged anywhere from ten to 45 dollars.

Lindsey Williams, a UK Pharmacy student, says getting the vaccination was a hassle.

“My insurance would not cover it,” says Williams. “And as a student $80 and then another $80 is kind of tough.”

Hawkins says if patients’ insurance doesn’t cover it and they can’t afford the shot they usually refer them over to the Montgomery County Health Department.

Allison Napier, the health department director, says the most someone would have to pay out of pocket is $65. But if they couldn’t afford that they would work with them.

“We would work with them and if they could pay $5 or whatever we would work to allow them to pay whatever that they could towards the bill,” says Napier.

Napier adds, the cost of the hospital bill once you’re infected will far outweigh the cost of the shots.

“Inability to pay shouldn’t affect if they could get the shot or not here,” says Napier.