WellPoint to cover shingles vaccine

WellPoint Inc. announced that effective immediately it will cover the vaccine Zostavax (zoster vaccine, live [Oka, Merck]), designed to prevent shingles (herpes zoster), a painful condition resulting from the reactivation of the chickenpox virus, typically in older individuals. The vaccine will be covered for individuals 60 years of age and older whose benefit plans provide coverage for vaccines. WellPoint already provides benefits for Zostavax through its Medicare Part D benefit based on the FDA's licensure of Zostavax this past May. Specific benefit plans may have variable benefits for immunizations.

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