Savvy Living

I recently turned 65 and would like to know if I should get the pneumonia vaccine? Which type of vaccine do I need and is it covered by Medicare?

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends pneumococcal vaccines to help protect those 65 years or older against pneumonia. The vaccines are also recommended for younger people with long-term health issues or weakened immune systems. In addition, it is also recommended that children under age 5 and people who smoke get vaccinated.

Pneumonia can happen anytime, not just during the cold months. It can be a serious and life-threatening condition. Each year in the U.S., pneumonia causes almost 1.5 million people to visit emergency rooms and results in over 40,000 deaths.

A recent study found that vaccinating against pneumonia reduces the risk of death by 22% in adults with cardiovascular problems. Vaccination rates, however, remain low. Around 66% of adults over the age of 65 are vaccinated against pneumonia while only 22% of younger adults (19-64 years old) at risk for pneumonia complications are vaccinated. The low vaccination rates are attributed to people being unsure whether they need the vaccine or being unaware that a vaccine exists.

Types of Vaccines

There are four different pneumococcal vaccines available, and your medical provider can help determine which vaccine is most appropriate for you. The vaccines are the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine PPSV23 (Pneumovax23), the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine PCV15 (Vaxneuvance), PCV20 (Prevnar 20) and PCV21 (CAPVAXIVE). The number in each name indicates how many strains, or serotypes, of streptococcus pneumoniae are included in the vaccine.

There are guidelines for determining which vaccine you should get. If you are 65 or older and have never been vaccinated for pneumonia, the PCV15, PCV20 or PCV21 is recommended. If PCV20 or PCV21 is not available in your area, you may get the PCV15 vaccine which can be followed one year later by PPSV23. If you had the earlier PCV13 (but not PCV15, PCV20 or PCV21) or the PPSV23 at or after age 65, you are likely eligible to get the PCV21 for increased protection. Because of the different possibilities and combinations, you should seek professional advice from your doctor or pharmacist about the most effective option.

Side effects of these vaccines are generally mild and may include feeling achy and tired as well as redness, swelling and soreness where the injection was administered. Medicare Part B covers both single dose and two-dose pneumococcal shots. Also, unlike the flu shot which is given annually, pneumococcal vaccines may last for your lifetime depending on your age, health and the type of vaccine you receive. Many local pharmacies and community health clinics offer pneumococcal vaccines, but you may want to call ahead to confirm availability. For more information, visit the CDC’s pneumococcal vaccination page which can be found at CDC.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/index.html.

Other Vaccines

To avoid getting pneumonia because of a viral infection, you should also consider getting a flu shot, a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) shot and a Covid-19 booster this fall. While vaccines cannot prevent every case of pneumonia or other conditions, those who get them usually have milder infections, a shorter course of illness and fewer serious complications than people who do not get vaccinated.

The flu shot and Covid booster are both covered by Medicare Part B, while the RSV vaccine (which is recommended every other year) is covered under Medicare (Part D) prescription drug plans.

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of "The Savvy Living” book. Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product. These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics. Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.