Have you received your flu shot yet? If not, don’t worry. It’s not too late! This holiday season, there is no better time than now to protect yourself and your loved ones from the flu. VA has made it easier than ever to receive your flu shot.

Flu Shots: It’s Time to VAX to the MAX!

In addition to every VA medical facility, flu shots are available at no cost for eligible Veterans at more than 70,000 in-network community providers nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control, you can even get a flu vaccine and a COVID-19 vaccine during the same visit.

We encourage you to check out this brief video or follow these four steps to get your community flu shot:

  1. Check your eligibility

Community flu vaccines are available to eligible Veterans who:

  • Are enrolled in the VA health care system, and
  • Received care through VA from either a VA or community provider within the past 24 months. This eligibility is new for 2021-2022 flu season.
Flu shot graphic

This cold and flu season, get your flu shot!

To check your eligibility (for the community urgent care benefit, which includes the flu vaccine):

  • Call 800-MyVA411 (800-698-2411), select option 1 (for urgent care information), then option 3 (for urgent care information), and then option 1 again (to check urgent care eligibility), or
  • Contact your local VA medical facility.

A great part of this benefit is that you can get a community flu vaccine without prior authorization. Flu vaccines that are provided include standard (quadrivalent), high dose, and preservative-free.

  1. Find a participating provider

To find an in-network provider, go to the VA Facility Locator and enter the following information into the search tool:

  • City, state, or postal code: Enter the appropriate ZIP code for your area
  • Facility Type: Select “Urgent Care” OR “Community pharmacies (in VA’s network).” If you select “Urgent Care,” choose “In-network community urgent care”
  • Click “Search”
  • Choose provider

You can also call 877-881-7618 or your local VA medical facility for help locating an in-network provider. Make sure the provider is in-network to avoid being charged for the flu vaccine.

  1. Go to the provider

Before going to the provider:

  • Call ahead to make sure the provider offers the flu vaccine through this benefit.
  • Print the Billing Information Card (or have it viewable on your mobile device) and take it with you to the provider.

When you arrive:

  • Tell them you’re a Veteran enrolled in VA health care, and
  • You would like to get a flu shot, paid for by VA.
  • Show your government-issued ID and the Billing Information Card.

  1. Get vaccine

There is no copayment charge if your visit consists only of a flu vaccine. In addition, flu-vaccine only visits do not count toward visits and/or copayments associated with using VA’s urgent care benefit.

More information

Topics in this story

careCOVID-19 vaccinefluflu shotFlu VaccinefreeHealthinfluenza

Leave a comment

The comments section is for opinions and feedback on this particular article; this is not a customer support channel. If you are looking for assistance, please visit Ask VA or call 1-800-698-2411. Please, never put personally identifiable information (SSAN, address, phone number, etc.) or protected health information into the form — it will be deleted for your protection.

10 Comments

  1. philip williams December 30, 2021 at 17:36

    your a little late on this , you should have had this out to us in aug, sept, oct,

  2. Dale E Garringer December 30, 2021 at 11:58

    I went to my local VA Clinic, Southwest Southern Nevada VA looking for covid amd annual flu information two months ago. I was told that as I am a 100% combat disabled Vietnam War vet, I am NOT allowed to use the VA Clinic, that I MUST use the VA Hospital. When I asked why, as I was originally enrolled at the Southwest Clinc and the hospital is over 20 miles away. The answer was ‘You lost your war, you lost your ability to access the VA’. WHAT! ‘You SOBs are always coming in whining about this and that. The director has banned you Vietnam vets from the facility’. Shocked, I left. The clerk followed me out to my car with the site police in tow. ‘There he is!’ He said to the cop, who grabbed his pistol. I immediately raised my arms above my head and said, ‘I’m 100% disabled, have no weapons and not Black or female. PLEASE DON’T SHOOT ME’! Needless to say, I’m NOT going back. Extra points for the VA! Ya’ll can go back and drive Desert War vets away next as you slap each other on the back. ‘Got rid of another stupid vet’!

  3. Lawrence A Sharpe Jr December 30, 2021 at 09:40

    I got a “FREE” flu shot at the Fort Worth VA clinic last year and they charged my insurance company $534.00. This year I got one
    at CVS and they charged my insurance company $27.00. WHAT GIVES????

  4. David Fountain December 29, 2021 at 22:08

    What about pneumonia shots ?

  5. Rickey Randall December 29, 2021 at 22:06

    Where can I get the flu vaccine

  6. William Runion December 29, 2021 at 20:14

    When can we get the Covid test kits.

  7. William L Mulvey December 29, 2021 at 19:35

    How do I get an appointment for a Shingrix shot in the Atlanta VA hospital in March?

  8. Richard Knight December 29, 2021 at 18:58

    Went to Walgreens past two years 4 flu shot and had to pay, they said VA didn’t renew contract with them. My Oklahoma City VA, said they were in the program?

  9. Granville Short December 29, 2021 at 18:28

    Can I get the booster shot, had the first two.

  10. Everett Howe December 29, 2021 at 18:22

    Hello. Does the va offer in home flu shots for the home bound vet?

Comments are closed.

More Stories