If you are 65 or older, the shots you need are not the same ones you got in your forties — and most of them now cost you nothing. Senior vaccines in Broward County are covered by Medicare at $0 out of pocket in 2026, yet thousands of Tamarac, Margate and Coral Springs seniors still miss the ones that matter most, simply because nobody walked them through the list.

This guide explains which vaccines are recommended after 65, exactly how Medicare pays for each one, and the best time of year to get them in South Florida. Bring it with you to your next primary care visit.

Why Vaccines Protect You Differently After 65

Your immune system does not fail as you age — it slows down. Doctors call this immunosenescence. Your body still fights infection, but it takes longer to recognize a threat, produces fewer fresh antibodies, and takes more out of you while it recovers.

That is why an illness that meant three days on the couch at 45 can mean a hospital stay at 75. It is also why the vaccines built for older adults are formulated differently — higher dose, or with an added ingredient called an adjuvant, to give an older immune system a stronger signal to respond to.

💡 The real risk is the domino effect. For an older adult, the danger is rarely the infection by itself. It is the fall during a fever, the blood sugar swing during an illness, or the heart strain in the weeks afterward. Preventing the first illness prevents the chain.

The 5 Vaccines Broward County Seniors Should Ask About

Recommendations come from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). These are the five that come up most often for adults over 65:

Senior man rolling up his sleeve as a nurse prepares a vaccine at a Tamarac medical clinic
Most adult vaccines take under five minutes and, with Medicare, cost nothing.
  1. Influenza (flu) — every yearAdults 65+ are steered toward a high-dose or adjuvanted flu vaccine, which is built to produce a stronger response in an older immune system. One dose each season.
  2. RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) — usually onceRecommended for all adults 75 and older, and for adults 50–74 who have an increased risk of severe RSV, including chronic heart or lung disease, diabetes with kidney disease, severe obesity, or living in a nursing home. Most people need a single dose, not an annual one.
  3. Shingles (Shingrix) — two dosesRecommended for adults 50 and older, given two to six months apart. Shingles comes from the same virus as childhood chickenpox, which stays dormant in the body for decades. The vaccine also reduces the risk of the long-lasting nerve pain that can follow.
  4. Pneumococcal — usually onceProtects against the bacteria behind many cases of pneumonia, bloodstream infection and meningitis. Which product you need depends on what you have already received, so this is one to confirm from your record rather than guess.
  5. COVID-19 — per current guidanceRecommendations are updated as the virus changes. Adults 65+ have consistently been among the groups advised to stay current.

Two more come up regularly: Tdap/Td (tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough) is generally boosted every 10 years, and hepatitis B is recommended for adults with diabetes and certain other risk factors.

⚠ This is general information, not a prescription. Which vaccines you need, and when, depends on your medical history, your medications and what you have already received. Some conditions and treatments make certain vaccines inappropriate. Always confirm with your own provider before scheduling.

What Medicare Pays in 2026: Part B vs. Part D

This is where most seniors get confused, and where money gets left on the table. Medicare splits vaccine coverage across two different parts — but as of 2026, the practical answer for almost every recommended vaccine is the same: $0.

Part B covers these at no cost to you

  • Influenza (flu) — one dose per season
  • Pneumococcal
  • COVID-19
  • Hepatitis B, for people at medium or high risk
  • Any vaccine needed to treat an injury or direct exposure, such as tetanus after a wound

You pay nothing for these as long as your provider accepts Medicare assignment — no deductible, no coinsurance.

Part D covers the rest at $0 cost-sharing

Shingles, RSV and Tdap fall under your Part D prescription drug plan. Before 2023, a Shingrix series could cost a senior a few hundred dollars out of pocket. The Inflation Reduction Act changed that: since January 1, 2023, Part D plans must cover all ACIP-recommended adult vaccines with no copay and no deductible. That protection is still in place in 2026.

💡 Tip: The $0 Part D benefit only applies if the vaccine is billed through your drug plan correctly. If you are ever quoted a price at the counter for a shingles or RSV shot, stop and ask them to run it through your Part D plan before you pay. That single question saves Broward seniors hundreds of dollars every year.

If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, your vaccine coverage is built into the plan and usually includes the Part D benefit. We accept most Medicare Advantage plans, including Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, CarePlus, Cigna and Oscar.

When to Get Each Shot in South Florida

Timing matters more here than people expect. Broward County's flu season runs later and longer than most of the country, and our year-round visitor traffic keeps respiratory viruses circulating outside the usual window.

  • Flu: Late September through the end of October is the sweet spot. Protection takes about two weeks to build and wanes over the season, so getting it in July is too early — but getting it in January is still far better than skipping it.
  • RSV: Late summer through early fall, ahead of the fall and winter respiratory season. Because most adults need only a single dose, you can get it any time your provider recommends.
  • Shingles: Any time of year. The virus does not follow a season. Just remember it is a two-dose series — put the second dose on your calendar the day you get the first.
  • Pneumococcal: Any time of year, once your record confirms which one you need.

You can usually receive more than one vaccine at the same visit. Many seniors get their flu and RSV shots together in the fall to save a trip — ask your provider whether that is right for you.

If You Have Diabetes, COPD or Heart Disease

Chronic conditions do not make vaccines riskier — they make them more important. They are also what moves many adults under 75 into the "increased risk" group for RSV.

  • Diabetes. Infection drives blood sugar up, and high blood sugar slows healing, which makes the illness last longer. Hepatitis B vaccination is also specifically recommended for adults with diabetes. See our guide to diabetes management in Broward County.
  • COPD, asthma and chronic lung disease. These are among the clearest reasons to get both flu and RSV vaccination, since a respiratory infection lands directly on already-limited lung reserve.
  • Heart disease. Research has repeatedly linked flu infection with an elevated risk of heart attack and stroke in the weeks that follow.
  • A weakened immune system. Certain medications and treatments change which vaccines are safe for you. This is the most important case to review individually with your provider.

If you are managing more than one condition and several prescriptions, it is worth reviewing the whole picture at once — see medication management for seniors in Tamarac.

6 Questions to Ask at Your Next Visit

Write these down and bring them with you. A five-minute conversation closes most vaccine gaps:

  1. Which vaccines am I actually missing?Ask your provider to check your record rather than relying on memory. Most people are wrong about at least one.
  2. Did I ever finish my shingles series?A surprising number of adults get the first dose and never return for the second.
  3. Do I qualify for the RSV vaccine?If you are 75 or older, yes. If you are 50–74, ask whether your conditions place you in the increased-risk group.
  4. Which flu vaccine is right for my age?Adults 65+ are generally directed toward a high-dose or adjuvanted formulation.
  5. Will this be billed under Part B or Part D?The answer tells you where to get it and confirms you should pay nothing.
  6. Can I get more than one today?Combining visits saves you a trip and a copay-free appointment slot.

Your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit is the natural place for this conversation — reviewing your preventive services and immunization status is part of what that visit is designed to do, and it costs you nothing.

Getting Your Vaccines at Metropolitan Medical Centers

Metropolitan Medical Centers is a senior-focused primary care practice in Tamarac serving patients across Broward County. Reviewing your immunization record and getting you up to date is part of routine preventive care with your provider here.

Primary care doctor reviewing an immunization record with a senior couple in Broward County
Reviewing your record together is the fastest way to find the shots you are missing.

What makes it simpler for our patients:

  • Your primary care provider reviews your full record, so nothing gets double-counted or missed
  • An on-site pharmacy, so prescriptions and coverage questions get handled in one building
  • On-site lab and diagnostics for the chronic conditions that drive your vaccine recommendations
  • Most Medicare Advantage plans accepted, including Humana, UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, CarePlus, Cigna and Oscar
  • Free door-to-door transportation for patients — no ride, no problem
  • Bilingual English and Spanish care
  • Eight Broward County locations, including Tamarac, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Margate, Lauderhill, Plantation, Parkland and Fort Lauderdale

For a broader look at staying ahead of problems instead of reacting to them, read our guide to senior preventive care in Tamarac.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are senior vaccines really free with Medicare in 2026?
For the recommended adult vaccines, yes. Flu, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccines are covered under Part B with no deductible or coinsurance when your provider accepts Medicare assignment. Shingles, RSV and Tdap are covered under Part D with $0 cost-sharing, a protection that took effect January 1, 2023 under the Inflation Reduction Act and remains in place in 2026. If you are quoted a price, ask for it to be billed through the correct part of your coverage before paying.
Do I need the RSV vaccine every year like the flu shot?
No. Unlike the flu vaccine, RSV vaccination is currently a single dose for most adults rather than an annual shot. It is recommended for all adults 75 and older, and for adults 50 to 74 who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease because of conditions such as chronic heart or lung disease, diabetes with chronic kidney disease, severe obesity, or living in a nursing home. Ask your provider whether you fall into that group.
I already had shingles. Do I still need the vaccine?
Generally yes. Having had shingles once does not prevent it from returning, so vaccination is still recommended for adults 50 and older even after a previous episode. Your provider will usually advise waiting until the rash has fully resolved before starting the two-dose series. Confirm the timing with your own provider.
Can I get more than one vaccine at the same appointment?
In most cases yes, and many Broward County seniors combine their fall flu and RSV shots into one visit. Vaccines are typically given in different arms or at separate injection sites. Whether it is appropriate for you depends on which vaccines are involved and your medical history, so confirm with your provider when you schedule.
What if I have no record of which vaccines I have already had?
This is very common, especially for people who have moved to Florida from another state. Your provider can check Florida SHOTS, the state immunization registry, along with pharmacy records and your Medicare claims history to rebuild the picture. Bring any vaccine cards you still have. When a record genuinely cannot be found, some vaccines can be safely repeated rather than skipped.
Where can seniors in Broward County get vaccinated?
Your primary care office is usually the best starting point, because your provider can see your full record and your chronic conditions in one place. Pharmacies and the Florida Department of Health in Broward County also offer many adult vaccines. Metropolitan Medical Centers serves seniors from eight locations across Broward, including Tamarac, Coral Springs, Coconut Creek, Margate, Lauderhill, Plantation, Parkland and Fort Lauderdale.