Protect yourself from pneumonia.
If you haven’t done so
already, get a vaccination for
pneumococcal pneumonia.
There is no cost to Medicare
beneficiaries as long as you are
covered by Medicare Part B
and your doctor prescribes the
shot for you.
Pneumonia is the second most
common cause of hospitalization
and the fifth leading cause
of death among people ages
65 and over. The older you
are, the more dangerous it is,
according to findings of a
10-year study of outcomes
among Medicare beneficiaries
following hospitalization for
pneumonia.*
In addition to age, those at
greater risk for invasive
pneumococcal disease include
people already ill or debilitated,
such as people with HIV, a
splenectomy, sickle cell
disease, diabetes, chronic
disorders of the lungs or
heart, and cirrhosis.
For most people, this is a once-in-a-lifetime vaccination. If you
have a condition or disease that
compromises your immune
system, ask your doctor if a
second pneumococcal vaccine
is necessary.
