Flu season is here, with cases tending to spike in November, December, and January. As you know, vaccinations early in the season are encouraged, particularly for children receiving a first-time flu vaccine or pregnant women, but vaccination any time during the season can provide protective health benefits.¹

Your recommendation to patients to receive a flu vaccination can play a strong role in their decision to receive it.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) releases updated vaccines each year and recommends that most people be vaccinated. It is particularly important for people at a high risk of getting other health problems from the flu to get vaccinated. Providers can access weekly tracking of epidemic trends, number of infections, and key data for COVID-19, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) to help with vaccine and treatment discussions.²

Vaccine coverage
Cigna Healthcare^SM covers the annual flu shot as a preventive care service, usually at 100 percent.³ Patients can receive the shot at a participating Cigna Healthcare pharmacy, walk-in clinic, or doctor’s office, and may be able to schedule more than one vaccine in a single visit.

CDC recommendations

CDC recommends that all people aged six months and older get vaccinated. In addition to the traditional flu shot, there are other options they may consider – such as super shots and FluMist^® – depending on their age and any medical conditions.

Super shots. For people aged 65 and older, the CDC recommends one of three specific flu vaccines, called “super” shots. These are high-dose (adjuvanted) vaccines made to produce a stronger than usual immune response.⁴ If those vaccines aren’t available, people in this age group can get any other age-appropriate flu vaccine. 

FluMist. For many people aged 2–49, the nasal spray FluMist may be a vaccination option. Because it does not require administration by a health care provider (the patient or a caregiver can administer it at home), FluMist can be a good option for people with health care barriers such as not having access to a clinic, lack of transportation, fear of needles, or fear or exposure to illness in a doctor’s office. It is not recommended for pregnant women, people with a history of severe allergic reactions to the flu vaccine, or people with certain medical conditions. FluMist is expected to be available in early 2025.⁵

Changes to the 2024–2025 flu vaccine
The composition of the flu vaccine changes annually to reflect the most dominant strains that are expected to circulate and cause illness. For the first time since the 2013–2014 flu season, this year’s vaccine is a trivalent vaccine, designed to protect against three flu strains, not four (a quadrivalent vaccine).⁶ This is because scientific evidence suggests the fourth flu strain is no longer active in the United States, post-COVID pandemic, most likely due to developed immunity in the population, and shows little threat to overall health.

Cigna Healthcare advocacy
Every year, we outreach to our customers aged 18 and older to highlight the benefits of getting the flu vaccine. Customers who are missing at least one of the following vaccines – flu, TDAP, shingles, and pneumococcal vaccine — receive an adult immunization email, along with information on their pharmacy benefits and integrated medical and pharmacy benefits. We encourage them to get vaccinated and offer patient education.

CDC facts and figures

According to the CDC, annually the flu causes up to 41 million illnesses, 710,000 hospitalizations, and 51,000 deaths. During the 2022-2023 season, the CDC estimates that flu vaccination prevented:

• 6 million influenza-related illnesses.
• 2.9 million influenza-associated medical visits.
• 65,000 influenza-associated hospitalizations.
• 3,700 influenza-associated deaths.

Provider resources

For more information about Cigna Healthcare coverage policies related to the flu and other vaccines, visit CignaforHCP.com at CHCP.com > Resources > Coverage Policies.

1. “It’s a Good Time to Get Your Flu Vaccine.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 15 October 2024.

2. “Current Epidemic Trends (Based on R_t) for States.” CDC. 15 November 2024.

3. Depending on plan coverage.

4. “Different Types of Flu Vaccines.” CDC. 14 April 2024.

5. “FDA Approves Nasal Spray Influenza Vaccine for Self- or Caregiver-Administration.” FDA. 20 September 2024.

6. “Trivalent Influenza Vaccines.” CDC. 10 September 2024.