How Much Is Shingrix Without Insurance?
Key takeaways:
The varicella-zoster virus causes shingles and chickenpox. Most people who get chickenpox do so as children. The virus can reactivate and cause shingles later in life.
Shingrix is the only vaccine approved in the U.S. for the prevention of shingles. For most people, a full course of treatment is 2 doses injected 2 to 6 months apart.
Without insurance, the average price of 1 dose of Shingrix is $260.05. But you could pay as low as $212.00 with a GoodRx coupon at certain pharmacies.
Table of contents
Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that causes painful, blistery rashes that can last for weeks or several months. An individual who lives in the U.S. has about a 1 in 3 chance of having shingles in their lifetime. About 1 million people get shingles in the U.S. each year. People who are age 50 and older and individuals with weakened immune systems are most at risk for shingles. But it can happen to anyone who’s had chickenpox.
Long-term nerve pain known as postherpetic neuralgia is the most common complication of shingles. When this side effect lasts 30 days or more, a person has an increased risk of another shingles episode.
Shingrix is the only FDA-approved vaccine to prevent shingles and its complications. You need 2 doses taken 2 to 6 months apart to receive the most protection.
The cost of Shingrix depends on several factors, including where you get the shots and whether you have insurance. A GoodRx coupon could lower your cost at certain pharmacies. The manufacturer also has a patient assistance program that provides this vaccine at no cost for people who do not have insurance and meet certain income criteria. There’s no generic option for Shingrix.
Shingrix basics
Shingrix is the only vaccine available in the U.S. to prevent shingles, and it is recommended as a two-dose series. Shingrix is not a live vaccine, but it contains pieces of the virus that causes shingles. Zostavax, a live shingles vaccine, is no longer available in the U.S. Even if you received Zostavax, you should still get your Shingrix shots.
The chart below provides a summary of basic information about Shingrix.
Shingrix Basics
| Brand name | Shingrix |
| Form | Vaccine injection, 2 doses |
| FDA-approved uses |
|
| Benefits |
|
| Possible side effects |
|
Is Shingrix covered by insurance?
Most health insurance plans cover Shingrix. Nearly all Medicaid and commercial insurance plans cover this vaccine. Shingrix is covered by about 90% of plans purchased through an Affordable Care Act (ACA, also known as Obamacare) marketplace. If you have Medicaid, you need a Part D prescription plan for your Shingrix vaccine to be covered.
If you have insurance, review your plan’s summary of benefits and coverage and formulary (list of covered medications) to determine whether Shingrix is covered. If not, contact your prescription plan provider and ask about an exception, as this vaccine has no alternative approved in the U.S.
How insurance covers Shingrix
The following chart shows the likelihood of having coverage — and prior authorization requirements — for Shingrix based on the type of insurance. Some health insurance plans require enrollees to receive prior authorization to get coverage for this vaccine. If you have Medicare Part D, Shingrix should be covered without any out-of-pocket costs, including copays or meeting your deductible.
Only one shingles vaccine: Shingrix is the only FDA-approved vaccine for shingles in the U.S.
Shingrix is a 2-dose vaccine: For most people, a full course of the shingles vaccine is 2 doses taken 2 to 6 months apart. People with weakened immune systems may be advised to take the second shot sooner.
Medicare Part D covers many vaccines without cost-sharing: If you have a Medicare Part D prescription plan, Shingrix and most other vaccines are covered without out-of-pocket costs.
Insurance Coverage for Shingrix
Insurance type | Enrollees covered for Shingrix | Enrollees required to get prior authorization | Enrollees required to do step therapy |
|---|---|---|---|
Commercial plans (not including plans purchased through an ACA marketplace) | 96.3% | 8.8% | 0% |
89.9% | 0.6% | 0% | |
Medicare, including original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans | 99.9% | 22.7% | 0% |
Medicaid, including state-run and managed care plans | 98.6% | 25.2% | 0% |
Source: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC™, as of April 14, 2025. (See methodology below.)
Tips if your medication isn’t covered by insurance
If your insurance doesn’t cover Shingrix, you still have options:
Use a GoodRx coupon to save on your prescription.
Request a formulary exception from your insurance company. If your request is denied, you have the right to file an appeal with your plan, as Shingrix is the only shingles vaccine approved in the U.S.
When it’s time for open enrollment, compare different health insurance plans to find one that provides the coverage you need.
How much does Shingrix cost without insurance?
At publication time, the manufacturer’s list price for Shingrix is $431.02 for the full vaccine course or $215.51 per dose. In addition, you may be charged an administration fee for each shot.
Without insurance, what you’ll pay for Shingrix depends on several factors, including:
Your specific pharmacy
Your geographic location
Whether you have been approved by the manufacturer’s patient assistant program for a free vaccine
The following table shows the average price for 1 dose of Shingrix.
Shingrix Costs
Shingrix quantity and dose | Average cash price |
|---|---|
1 injection (50 mcg/0.5 mL)* |
* Note: A full course of treatment is 2 injections.
Ways to save on Shingrix without insurance
Shingrix may be a stretch for your budget. It's a brand-name medication, and those tend to cost more than generic treatments (and there is no alternative available for this vaccine). Whether or not you have insurance, there are ways to reduce the cost of your prescription. Here are four options.
1. Use a GoodRx coupon
With a free GoodRx coupon, you could get a lower price for your Shingrix prescription at your pharmacy. For example, without insurance, the average price of 1 dose of Shingrix is $260.05. But you could pay as low as $212.00 with a GoodRx coupon at certain pharmacies.
To get a coupon, visit www.goodrx.com or download the GoodRx app on your mobile device. Type “Shingrix” in the search field, and choose the dose you have been prescribed. Make sure the search results show prices at local pharmacies. You can input your ZIP code or address, or you can select “Use my current location.” Then, choose if you want to receive your coupon by email or text or opt to print it out.
Take your coupon with you to the pharmacy. You can present the coupon to the pharmacy staff early in the filling process to avoid delays at the pickup counter.
2. Qualify for the manufacturer’s patient assistance program
See if you’re eligible for the manufacturer’s vaccine patient assistance program, which can provide Shingrix to you at no cost.
3. Compare prices at various pharmacies
GoodRx lets you easily compare Shingrix costs at different pharmacies in your area. You might find it’s worth driving a bit further to get a lower price.
4. Use tax-advantaged healthcare funds
Consider using a flexible spending account (FSA), health savings account (HSA), or health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) to purchase your medication. These funds have multiple tax benefits when used to cover healthcare costs and can reduce your out-of-pocket costs through tax savings. Review your account’s contribution limits, rollover limits, and eligible expenses.
The bottom line
Shingrix is a prescription-only vaccine that prevents shingles. This brand-name treatment has no generic alternative.
How much you pay for Shingrix depends on factors such as the pharmacy you choose and your insurance coverage. If you have a Medicare Part D prescription plan, you can get Shingrix with no out-of-pocket costs. If you don’t have insurance, the average price of 1 dose of Shingrix is $260.05. You could pay as little as $212.00 with a GoodRx coupon at select pharmacies.
You could also save on the vaccine by using the manufacturer’s patient assistance program (if you don’t have insurance), paying with a tax-advantaged healthcare account, and shopping around at different pharmacies.
Why trust our experts?
Methodology
We obtained national prescription coverage data for each medication from Managed Markets Insight & Technology (MMIT). The data reflects health insurance coverage as of April 2025.
We calculated the percentage of enrollees in plans that cover each medication by dividing the number of enrollees covered for the medication within a specific insurance channel (e.g., ACA, Medicare, Medicaid) by the total number of enrollees in all plans within that channel.
We determined the percentage of enrollees in plans with a prior authorization requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that required prior authorization for the medication within each channel.
Finally, we measured the percentage of enrollees in plans with a step therapy requirement by calculating the proportion of enrollees in plans that imposed step therapy requirements for the medication in each channel.
These estimates, derived from national MMIT coverage data, provide insight into health insurance coverage for each medication. They take into account restrictions such as prior authorization, step therapy, and quantity limits. The percentages are expressed relative to the total number of enrollees covered by various insurance channels, including the ACA, commercial (excluding ACA) plans, Medicare, and Medicaid (both state-run and managed care plans).
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Shingles vaccination.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). About shingles (herpes zoster).
GSK for You. (n.d.). GSK pricing information for Shingrix.
Medicaid.gov. (n.d.). Managed care.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2025). Shingrix.
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