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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, ApRil 5, 2024 Page 19 Sa nir Sa a y Senior Seni by Jim Miller Recommended Vaccines for Medicare Recipients Dear Savvy Senior, My husband and I recently turned 65 and would like to find out which vaccines are recommended and covered by Medicare? New Benefi ciaries Dear New, All recommended vaccines for adults, age 65 and older, should be covered by either Medicare Part B or Part D, but there are some coverage challenges you should be aware of. Here’s a rundown of which vaccines are recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and how Medicare covers them. Covid-19: Even though Covid-19 is no longer a public health emergency, it can still cause severe illness, particularly in older adults. Because the Covid virus continues to mutate, new vaccines are being developed to keep pace, so the CDC recommends that all seniors stay up to date with the latest Covid vaccines, including booster shots. All Covid-19 shots are covered 100 percent by Medicare Part B. Flu: Considered an annual vaccination, most people of all ages receive fl u shots in the fall when fl u season begins. The CDC recommends seniors, 65 and older get a high-dose fl u shot for extra protection beyond what a standard fl u shot off ers. The Fluzone High Dose Quadrivalent, FLUAD Quadrivalent and FluBlok Quadrivalent are your three options. Annual fl u shots are covered under Medicare Part B. Pneumonia: These vaccines help protect against pneumococcal disease, which can cause pneumonia, meningitis and other infections. The CDC recommends everyone 65 and older get a pneumococcal vaccine. There are several diff erent vaccine options available, so talk to your doctor or pharmacists to fi nd out which is best for you or visit the CDC’s Pneumococcal Vaccination webpage at CDC.gov/ vaccines/vpd/pneumo/public/ index.html. Medicare Part B covers both single dose and two-dose pneumococcal shots once in your lifetime. Shingles: Caused by the same virus that causes chicken pox, shingles is a painful, blistering skin rash that affects more than 1 million Americans every year. All people over age 50 are recommended to get the twodose Shingrix vaccine, which is given two to six months apart, even if you previously received Zostavax. In 2020, Shingrix replaced Zostavax, which is no longer available in the U.S. All Medicare Part D prescription drug plans cover shingles vaccinations, but coverage amounts, and reimbursement rules vary depending on where the shot is given. Check your plan. Tdap: Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough) are diseases caused by bacteria that can lead to serious illness and death. Therefore, a one-time dose of the Tdap vaccine is recommended to all adults. If you’ve already had a Tdap shot, you should get a tetanus-diphtheria (Td) booster shot every 10 years. All Medicare Part D plans cover these vaccinations. RSV: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can lead to pneumonia or bronchiolitis and can worsen other chronic conditions common among older adults, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The CDC recommends all adults, age 60 and older, talk to their doctor about getting one of the RSV vaccines (either Arexvy or Abrysvo), usually in the fall and winter months when the virus is most prevalent. Most Medicare Part D plans cover the RSV vaccine, but not all. If your plan doesn’t cover it, you can ask for a coverage exception. You can also pay for the shot out of pocket and then follow-up with your plan to get reimbursed. If you pay for the shot upfront, your plan must pay you back. Other Vaccinations There are other vaccines you may need depending on your health, lifestyle or travel plans. To help you get a handle on which ones are appropriate for you, take the CDC’s What Vaccines Do You Need? quiz at www2.cdc.gov/nip/ adultimmsched. Also, talk to your doctor during your next visit about what vaccinations you should get. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. nior ior John Francis Denish OBITUARIES es and grandnephews. Relatives and friends were invited to attend John’s visiting hours in the Cafasso & Sons Funeral Home, Everett, Tuesday, April 2. Services concluded with the U.S. Marine Corps presenting Military Honors. In lieu of fl owers, contributions in John’s memory to the DAV would be sincerely appreciated. Margaret (Duncan) Kane O f Everett, entered into eternal rest on Thursday, March 28,02024 in the Dexter House Healthcare in Malden. He was 73 years old. Born in Melrose, John lived in Everett for most of his life and worked as an automobile parts salesman. He was a former member of the Everett Fire Department. John served proudly in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam era. He was the son of the late Lawrence E. and Barbara (Faucher) Denish; the dear father of the late Todd Denish; grandfather of Michael and Matthew Denish; the loving brother of Lawrence L. Denish and his wife, Jo-Ellen of Everett, Francis Denish of Saugus, Margaret Lever and her late husband, Harvey of Everett, William Denish and his wife, Gail of Everett, Marie Hidden and her late husband, Bruce of Revere, Joseph Denish and his wife, Elizabeth of Peabody, Paul Denish of Medford, Barbara Rawcliff e of Saugus, Elizabeth Murphy and her husband, Paul of Saugus, Mary Denish of Revere and the late Kathleen Mattei. John is also survived by several loving nieces, nephews, grandniecny & husband Dale, Elena and husband Sal, George, Francisco, and late Chandra; and Little Nana to Chanyce, Ave, Isabella, Deja, Alana, Lilah, Brenin, Frankie, JonCarlo and late great granddaughter Leilani. She is the dear sister of Elizabeth Whelton and the late Andrew Duncan. She is also survived by many loving nieces, and nephews. Relatives and friends are inA longtime resident of Everett, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 24 at Massachusetts General Hospital, surrounded by her loved ones. She was 91 years of age. Margaret was born in Glasgow, Scotland on March 27,1932, a daughter of the late Thomas and Agnes Duncan. She moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts when she was sixteen to help her sister with her newborn daughter. Margaret was a very dedicated and loving hospice caretaker, until she retired at the age of 85. Most important to Margaret was her devotion to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Some of her fondest memories are the times she spent with her many relatives in her beloved Scotland. Margaret is the beloved wife of the late Robert Kane. She is the devoted mother of Karen Vega and her husband Robert Dixon and Pamela Kane. She is the loving Granny to Tiff aEverett Public Libraries to dedicate Kathleen A. Donnelly Reading Room T he Trustees of the Everett Public Libraries are pleased to announce a dedication and ribbon cutting memorial ceremony to commemorate the establishment of the Kathleen A. Donnelly Reading Room on Saturday, April 13, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. to be held at the Parlin Memorial Library (412 Broadway, Everett). Anyone interested in attending the ceremony is welcome to do so. Following the open house ceremony, guests will be invited to partake in refreshments provided by the library trustees and then tour the Parlin Memorial Library. The dedication of the Kathleen A. Donnelly Reading Room is in honor of a former Everett resident who generously bequeathed a signifi - cant fi nancial gift to the Everett Public Libraries at her passing. The trustees feel privileged to recognize and to honor Kathleen’s lifelong commitment and passion to great literature, philosophy, religion, poetry and the arts. Her support will greatly help the Everett Public Libraries in their mission to inform, inspire and expand access to the services to the Citizens of Everett. vited to attend Margaret’s visitation at the JF Ward Funeral Home, 772 Broadway, Everett, MA on Saturday, March 30th from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM, followed by a funeral in the funeral home at 2:00 PM. Margaret’s wishes were to have her ashes spread in her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland by her loved ones at a later date. In lieu of fl owers, donations in Margaret’s memory may be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation @ www. nationalbreastcancer.org

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