Have to get "tetanus-diptheria screen." How to prepare my body for it?

[KurumiSophia]

I got signed up for HIP (Healthy Indiana Plan) In order to keep any remaining monies from my POWER account rolled over into the next year, I have to have a tetanus-diptheria screen which apparently is the vaccine. (I called and asked.) What can I do to prepare my body for the shot and minimize the effects?

[Marnica]

This is highly suspect. I would dig a bit and find out if this is bull....smells like it to me. They can't withhold money from you based on vax status. Is it a private medical coverage of some kind?? What exactly is it?

[KurumiSophia]

Originally Posted by Marnica

This is highly suspect. I would dig a bit and find out if this is bull....smells like it to me. They can't withhold money from you based on vax status. Is it a private medical coverage of some kind?? What exactly is it?

It's not bull, unfortunately. It's a public plan; so hooray for having to play by their rules. HIP is a program in Indiana for adults who have no access to insurance from their job (or lack thereof). http://www.in.gov/fssa/hip/2344.htm

From the handbook:

For those members that started HIP in 2008 and are in their second year of coverage and for new members in 2009, the following chart shows you the preventive services that you need to get in order to roll-over your POWER Account balance at the end of the year.

Female age 19-35
Annual Physical Exam
Pap Smear
Blood Glucose Screen*
Tetanus-Diptheria Screen

[Marnica]

So it's similar to State medicaid in a way yes??

Most state programs tell you you "have" to get certain things. Have you tried submitting a religious exemption?? or you could tell them you have had a past severe reaction to a tetanus shot and cannot get it. If this is a publically funded program then they legally cannot deny you based on vaccine status.

Calling a DT vax a "screening" is just bizarre...how is a vaccine a screening?

What is a power account blance??

[Eman'smom]

So you would need to get this "screen" every year?

[KurumiSophia]

Originally Posted by Marnica

So it's similar to State medicaid in a way yes??

Most state programs tell you you "have" to get certain things. Have you tried submitting a religious exemption?? or you could tell them you have had a past severe reaction to a tetanus shot and cannot get it. If this is a publically funded program then they legally cannot deny you based on vaccine status.

Calling a DT vax a "screening" is just bizarre...how is a vaccine a screening?

What is a power account blance??

Kind of. Its more geared to having preventative services in order to keep you from getting sick. I haven't tried submitting a religious exemption since I just got approved for it but I'll ring them in the AM to see if I can. I wish I knew why they phrased it as a "screening." The only thing I can think of is that most adults balk at vaccines for themselves so to call it a screening makes it more palatable.

POWER Account stands for Personal Wellness Responsibility Account. When you get services beyond preventative care which is totally covered, its this account that you have to draw from and as such, you have to be get the least expensive treatment possible. The way its set up is that you must get the all preventative stuff for your gender and age catagory to keep anything leftover @ year's end from this account.

[KurumiSophia]

Originally Posted by Eman'smom

So you would need to get this "screen" every year?

That's the way the handbook has it phrased, yes.

http://www.mdwise.org/pdfs/HIP/HIPHandbook.pdf The chart is on page 9 of the PDF

[denimtiger]

Most likely the "screen" is a check of your medical records to find out if you've had a Td (or TdaP) booster within the past 10 years.

It's very likely that you'd be able to opt out of the vaccine with an exemption, but not opt out of them "screening" to see if you've had it.

[Ruthla]

My guess is that the "screening" means that they have to check each year if you're "up to date" on this vaccine, and to get a "booster shot" if you're not. This sounds like a way to phrase things so they check this out annually, even though they only administer the vaccine every decade.

It's also quite likely that they'd accept a religious exemption from the shots, and in those cases, the "screening" would consist of seeing that you have the religious exemption in lieu of the shot.

[ammiga]

Originally Posted by KurumiSophia

I'll ring them in the AM to see if I can.

If you are told that you can't submit an exemption, I would look in several more places to find out if you can. Frequently, there is some idiot answering the phones that knows nothing about exemptions and assumes you must submit to everything. They also love to sound very authoritative when they speak.

If you need to submit for this every year, I'm thinking the screen is not a vax, since you don't need a tetanus vax every year.

[Hellga]

It could also just be a titer to check for antibodies. Most screenings just check, then they give you the option of "taking care of the problem" if the antibodies aren't there.

[miriam]

I think you should notify your congressman, Dan Burton, R - 5 who has been an opponent of thimerasol in vaccines as he has two grandchildren who are autistic.

He may be able to help you. You cannot be denied healthcare if you have a religious exemption, no matter what the state hcp tells you.

[alegna]

They MUST accept a religious objection.

Just say no.

-Angela