Department of Human Resource Management

Health Benefits

2022-2023 Flu Season

A Flu Shot Helps Keep the Flu Bug Away!

It’s important to get a flu shot to protect your health and to prevent the spread of flu to others. If unvaccinated, you and your family can also receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time to protect against COVID-19 and its variants. COVID-19 vaccines are available at many pharmacies and doctor’s offices at no cost to you.

Flu shots are the best way to help prevent influenza, commonly known as flu. Although flu shots offer no guarantee against getting sick, you can protect yourself from the risk of flu-related complications by getting a FREE flu shot at your local drug store or doctor’s office. Just show a photo ID and your COVA Care, COVA HealthAware or COVA HDHP plan ID card to the participating pharmacist or provider to get flu shots at no cost for you and covered family members.

NOTE ON COVID-19: This is yet another unusual flu season because of COVID-19. If an agency chooses to have an onsite, drive through or walk up flu shot clinic, it must follow federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Virginia Department of Health guidelines. Please also see CDC guidance on administering vaccines during a pandemic: www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pandemic-guidance/index.html

Flu Shot Program

COVA Care, COVA HealthAware and COVA HDHP logos

The COVA Care, COVA HDHP and COVA HealthAware prescription drug programs are with Anthem Pharmacy, delivered by IngenioRx. Covered plan members in downtown Richmond can also visit Capitol Square Healthcare.

Follow these steps:

Click on this spreadsheet to find the names of participating pharmacies. The tabs at the bottom separate them by category.
If your retail drug store is shown as participating with your health plan, call them to verify that you may receive the flu shot at no cost and ask when this season's flu shots will be available.
Once you have the information, go to the pharmacy and present a photo ID and your COVA Care, COVA HealthAware or COVA HDHP health plan ID card.

Get your flu shot at no charge. It is covered by your prescription drug benefit.

Important tips:

Be sure to get your flu shot from the participating pharmacy and not from a third party vendor who may be holding a clinic at the store.
Check the link above for a list of local participating pharmacies and other providers. Your state agency location may be working with a local pharmacy to provide free flu shots onsite. Be sure to ask about local schedules. See note above on COVID-19.
Kaiser Permanente HMO plan members have access to free flu shots at participating Kaiser medical centers - see flyer here.
The Optima Health Vantage HMO covers the flu vaccine as a preventive care benefit at 100% when members go to a participating pharmacy. View flyer here. If members need assistance finding a location, they may contact the Optima Health Member services number on the back of their member ID card.

Capitol Square Healthcare

Capitol Square Healthcare is providing regular and high dose flu shots onsite. Make your appointment at www. capitolsquarehealthcare.com. To schedule an appointment call (844) 342-1791. Walk-ins are not accepted. Bring your health plan ID card and your state employee badge. Wearing a mask is required. Non- Medicare retiree plan participants and covered dependents need to bring their health plan ID card and a valid driver’s license or other valid Identification.

Cost

Health Plan or Status	Charges
COVA Care, COVA HDHP & COVA HealthAware	Please call ahead for an appointment. No cost for vaccine.
Kaiser Permanente HMO Optima Health Vantage HMO TRICARE supplement No state health coverage Wage employees	Please call ahead for an appointment. Pay actual cost of vaccine.

Questions and Answers

2022 COVA Care and COVA HDHP Flu Shot Program Q&A

2022 COVA HealthAware Flu Shot Q&A

2022 Flu Shot Flyer

Capitol Square Healthcare Flyer