HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah -- Base officials are partnering with the Davis County Health Department to make it easier for Hill's personnel to receive the flu vaccine this year.
The flu shot will not be available to all Tricare beneficiaries at the 75th Medical Group until adequate vaccination supplies are received, but the DCHD will be on base offering no-out-of-pocket-cost influenza, Tdap, and pneumonia vaccinations to Tricare dependents and retirees, as well as federal service and contract employees.
The U.S. and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere are bracing for another potentially severe flu season. The 2017-2018 flu season became one of the most severe seasons on record, excluding pandemics, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In general, flu season in the U.S. begins in October and tapers off in May. In the Southern Hemisphere, flu season is well under way. Typically, the U.S. sees influenza strains similar to those circulating in the Southern Hemisphere; however, circulating flu viruses can mutate and change throughout the year, making it easier for the virus to infect people who have not been vaccinated.
Public Health officials say this year, everyone 6 months of age and older should receive the flu vaccine by the end of October.
The 75th Medical Group Immunization Clinic will also soon focus their efforts on vaccinating the active duty population. Active duty members are currently “due” for the influenza vaccine; however, members will not affect unit Individual Medical Readiness rates until Jan. 1, 2019. The Department of Defense goal is to vaccinate 90 percent of the active-duty population by Dec. 15, 2018.
The vaccine has been adjusted for the approaching flu season in hopes of targeting the strains that may circulate this year. The nasal spray flu mist vaccines have also been reformulated and are now a recommended option.
The nasal spray is available on-base only at the DCHD flu clinics and is approved for non-pregnant individuals ages 2-49.
In addition, the DCHD will also offer the shingles vaccine only at the Commissary clinics for those individuals age 50 to 65 years of age.
Members can bring their health insurance cards or military dependent/retiree identification to one of the 20 scheduled on-base clinics:
Sept. 26, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Building 847, Large Conference Room
Oct. 2, 10 a.m.-noon, Building 849, B-41 Conference Room
Oct. 3, 9-11 a.m., Building 1580 AF Nuc. Weapons Room 150
Oct. 4, 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m., For CDC West (Base Chapel Heritage Room)
Oct. 5, 3 p.m.-5:30 p.m., For CDC East (Base Chapel Heritage Room)
Oct. 10, 8-10 a.m., Building 1289, Southwest Conference Room
Oct. 11, 7:30-10:00 a.m., Building 1209 Conference Room
Oct. 12, 12-5 p.m., Commissary Foyer
Oct. 15, 6:30-9:30 a.m., Building 225 Joe Bailey Conference Room
Oct. 16, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Building 843, EMXG Conference Room
Oct. 17, 7-10 a.m., Building 507, Roessler Conference Room
Oct. 18, 12-5 p.m., Warrior Gym Foyer
Oct. 23, 8-11 a.m., Building 100F Rm 20 EMXG-OB Conf. Rm
Oct. 24, 7:30-11 a.m., Building 1515 Exec. Conf. Room
Oct. 25, 12-3 p.m., building 674, break room
Oct. 26, 12-3p.m., Commissary foyer
Oct. 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Building 238 (West Side)
Nov. 6, 7:30-11 a.m., BX foyer
Nov. 7, 12-5 p.m., Warrior gym foyer
Nov. 15, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., The Landing (fall expo)
Below is an alphabetical list of all the Health Insurance agencies DCHD is authorized to bill:
Aetna-only select plans will pay and we often have to see the card to know. Mail Handler's (MHBP) or any federal plan will pay.
Altius
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Deseret Mutual Benefits (DMBA)
Deseret Choice
Educators Mutual (EMI)
GEHA
Healthy Choice Utah (Medicaid only)
Humana Choice PPO
Humana Commercial
Mail Handler's (MHBP)
Med Advantage HMO
Medicare Part B
RailRoad Medicare
Medicaid
Molina(Medicaid and Medicare only)
PEHP
Selecthealth, Selectmed, Selectvalue
Sterling HMO
Tricare
UMR
United Health
University Health/HealthyU
UPREHS HMO
You can print out the DCHD required screening form to bring with you to your clinic, click here.
For more information about the scheduled flu clinics offered by the DCHD, please contact Douglas Pierson, Public Health Flight Manager, at 801-586-9768.
(Editor's note: This article was updated on Oct. 26. So far, it has been found Tricare Prime has been covering the cost of the flu vaccination from Davis County Health Department. It was previously reported Tricare Prime was still in negotiations with DCHD and the vaccination may not be covered.
What does this mean for Tricare Prime members? If Tricare Prime members utilize the Davis County Health Department for an insurance-billed immunization, it is possible they may receive a bill in the mail from the Davis County Health Department.
If this happens, Tricare Prime members can fill out a Point of Service (POS) paper disputing the bill and drop it off in the Tricare box located on a table near the Dental Clinic in the main clinic (Bldg. 570).
Point of Service paperwork will be available to Tricare Prime members at all the remaining Immunization Clinics.
Tricare Prime members can utilize the 75th Medical Group immunization clinic for the flu shot once sufficient supplies become available, or they can utilize an off-base network pharmacy listed on the Tricare "Find a pharmacy" website.)