If you’re on Medicare, your flu shot won’t cost you a dime. Part B pays the whole thing as long as the pharmacist or doctor accepts Medicare assignment, according to Medicare.gov. Most private insurance covers it, too.
So it doesn’t matter where you get it, right?
Wrong. Several big chains will hand you store cash, coupons or gas discounts just for showing up. They’re not doing it out of kindness. The shot gets you through the door, and once you’re in, they’re betting you’ll shop.
Fine by me. Take the reward, buy what you were going to buy anyway, and walk out ahead.
And if you don’t have coverage, pay attention to where you go. CVS lists its high-dose senior flu shot at $144 and a standard shot at $99.
As for who should get one, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every season, with rare exceptions. For people 65 and older, it prefers high-dose, recombinant or adjuvanted versions.
(For more on what doctors are now recommending, see “The CDC Went Silent on Fall Shots. Here’s What Doctors Say You Need at 50, 65 and 75.”)
Here are six stores that pay you to roll up your sleeve, starting with the richest reward I found.
1. Walgreens: $15 in store cash, plus 10% back
Get a flu shot at Walgreens, and myWalgreens members get $15 in Walgreens Cash when they make a future eligible purchase of $5 or more. You also get 10% back on eligible in-store purchases for 30 days.
The catches:
- Membership: You need a free myWalgreens account.
- Deadline: You have 14 days after your shot to use the offer.
- Caps: The $15 offer tops out at $45, or three coupons, and the 10% offer tops out at $100.
- Exclusions: Prescriptions, alcohol, tobacco, dairy, gift cards and lottery tickets don’t count.
- States: It’s not available in Arkansas, New Jersey or New York.
2. CVS, including CVS inside Target: $5 off $20
CVS gives ExtraCare members a coupon for $5 off a $20 purchase after a shot, through Dec. 31.
If your closest CVS pharmacy is inside a Target, you get the same deal. That coupon is good for $5 off $20 at Target or Target.com.
Like Walgreens, CVS leaves out Arkansas, New Jersey and New York.
3. Safeway, Albertsons, Vons and Jewel-Osco: Up to $20 off groceries
The Albertsons family of grocery stores gives you 10% off your next grocery purchase after a flu shot, up to $20, through Dec. 31. I confirmed the offer on the pharmacy pages for Safeway, Albertsons, Vons and Jewel-Osco.
This one pays off best if you save it for a big shopping trip, since the discount applies to up to $200 in groceries.
The fine print: Prescriptions, alcohol, tobacco, fuel, dairy and gift cards don’t count. Shots given in Arkansas don’t qualify. In New York, only COVID-19 shots earn the reward, so a flu shot there won’t. And in New Jersey, you have to be 60 or older.
If you shop at another Albertsons-owned chain, like Acme or Shaw’s, ask the pharmacist whether it’s running the same deal.
4. Publix: A $5 gift card
Publix gives a $5 digital gift card to patients 18 and older who get a free flu shot, while supplies last. You’ll need a Publix Pharmacy account, and it’s one per patient.
Five bucks won’t change your life. But it’s five bucks for something you were going to do anyway.
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5. Hy-Vee: A 20-cent Fuel Saver reward
In the Midwest, Hy-Vee Perks members get a 20-cent Fuel Saver reward for getting vaccinated.
You don’t need an appointment or a prescription, and Hy-Vee offers both regular and high-dose shots. The shot is free with Medicare and most insurance.
If the reward works out to 20 cents off each gallon, filling a 15-gallon tank saves you $3. Not much, but it beats paying full price for gas you’d buy anyway.
6. Kroger: A few points (don’t get too excited)
Kroger gives you 25 points for each qualifying vaccine. Under its points program, 100 points equals 10 cents off a gallon of gas or $1 off groceries, according to the program’s FAQ.
Do the math: That flu shot earns you about a quarter.
I’m including Kroger so you don’t drive past a better offer to chase it. Meijer also says its mPerks members earn points for vaccines, but it doesn’t say how many.
How to get the most from your free shot
A few simple moves make sure you get paid:
- Join first: Sign up for the store’s free loyalty program before you go, so the reward lands in your account.
- Bring your cards: Carry your red, white and blue Medicare card, plus any Medicare Advantage or drug plan card.
- Check your state: Several of these offers skip Arkansas, New Jersey and New York.
- Don’t overspend: A $5-off-$20 coupon only saves money if you’d have spent the $20 anyway.
Pharmacies hand out plenty of other freebies, too. See “10 Things You Can Get for Free at Pharmacies” and “13 Things That Are Free With Medicare.”
And while you’re standing at the pharmacy counter, ask what you’re paying for your regular prescriptions. If it seems like a lot, you can compare ways to save on prescriptions in our Solutions Center.
A free shot that protects your health is a good deal. A free shot that also puts cash in your pocket is a better one.
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