You Can’t Afford To Be Unvaccinated

Healthcare studies often count payments made to doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other medical providers. These payments may come from the patient, an insurance company, Medicare, Medicaid, or another program. Families may also have other costs that do not show up in medical records.

These costs may include:

• Lost pay when a patient or caregiver misses work
• Childcare or care for another family member
• Gas, bus fare, parking, meals, and hotel stays
• Home-care supplies, food delivery, and household help
• Follow-up care, physical therapy, or costs from a long-term disability

AHRQ reported mean 2017-dollar influenza expenditures of $312 for ambulatory care, $119 for prescriptions, and $840 for emergency department care among users of each service. Read the AHRQ influenza expenditure brief. Household items are planning ranges; missed income uses BLS earnings.

The costs on this page show how illness can affect a family’s budget. They do not show the exact amount every family will pay. Medical costs may be paid by the patient, private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or another program. Other costs, like childcare and missed work, are estimates and will be different for each family.

Costs may depend on:

• Your insurance, deductible, copays, and provider network
• The patient’s age and health
• How long the illness lasts and how serious it is
• Whether the patient needs emergency care, a hospital stay, intensive care, or long-term care
• Wages, paid time off, and local childcare prices
• How many follow-up visits are needed and how far you must travel

The costs on this page show how illness can affect a family’s budget. They do not show the exact amount every family will pay. Medical costs may be paid by the patient, private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, or another program. Other costs, like childcare and missed work, are estimates and will be different for each family.

Costs may depend on:

• Your insurance, deductible, copays, and provider network
• The patient’s age and health
• How long the illness lasts and how serious it is
• Whether the patient needs emergency care, a hospital stay, intensive care, or long-term care
• Wages, paid time off, and local childcare prices
• How many follow-up visits are needed and how far you must travel

Private health insurance

Most private health insurance plans cover recommended vaccines at no cost when you go to an in-network provider. An in-network provider is a doctor, clinic, or pharmacy that has an agreement with your insurance company.

A copay is a set amount you may have to pay for a visit or service. Many recommended vaccines do not require a copay, but rules can differ. Check with your insurance plan before your appointment.

Medicaid

Medicaid is a government health insurance program for people who meet certain income or other rules. It covers recommended vaccines for eligible children and adults.

Each state runs its Medicaid program a little differently, so where and how you get a vaccine may depend on where you live.

Medicare

Medicare is a federal health insurance program mainly for people age 65 and older and some younger people with disabilities.

Medicare covers many vaccines recommended for adults. These include flu, COVID-19, pneumococcal, and shingles vaccines. It may also cover other vaccines based on your age, health, or risk of getting sick.

Vaccines for Children

The Vaccines for Children program provides vaccines at no cost to eligible children younger than 19.

A child may qualify if they:

• Have Medicaid
• Do not have health insurance
• Have insurance that does not fully cover vaccines and get vaccinated at an approved clinic
• Are American Indian or Alaska Native

Learn more: CDC Vaccines for Children program.

Local health departments and community clinics

Local health departments, community health centers, clinics, pharmacies, and special vaccine events may offer vaccines for free or at a lower cost.

Call ahead to ask which vaccines are available, who qualifies, and whether there are any fees.

Sources and methodology

The landing page combines three kinds of information: published healthcare expenditures, published information about illness duration or complications, and clearly labeled planning ranges for household expenses. The ranges are designed for public education, not billing or insurance advice.

Lost income

Missed-work examples use median weekly earnings of $1,251 for full-time U.S. wage and salary workers in the second quarter of 2026. Dividing by five produces an illustrative daily amount of about $250.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Usual Weekly Earnings – Second Quarter 2026

Childcare

Childcare ranges are planning estimates informed by the wide variation documented in county- and state-level market price data. Publishers should replace national planning ranges with local data when creating location-specific campaigns.

U.S. Department of Labor: National Database of Childcare Prices

Disease costs

•     Influenza expenditures – AHRQ MEPS
•     Childhood vaccine economic model methods – CDC archive
•     Routine childhood immunization economic benefits – MMWR
•     COVID-19 hospitalization costs – Open Forum Infectious Diseases
•     Colposcopy out-of-pocket costs – Obstetrics & Gynecology
•     Cervical cancer economic burden – Journal of Women’s Health
•     Meningococcal hospitalization and follow-up costs – RTI