Received Thursday, October 2, 2008 - Perspective & OpinionWho pays for flu shots? I want to pay for my nanny's flu shot...my husband thinks its her responsibility. I guess, I'm selfish in wanting to pay for it to protect my kids and prevent her from potentially missing a week of work. Husband thinks nanny has insurance and if her insurance doesn't pay then she should pay...its her medical stuff...not ours. My company pays for mine...our insurance pays for our kids. So if I have to fork out a few bucks for our nanny to also be covered, its worth it. So who's right? P.S. Our nanny does want to get the flu shot, its not like we "require" it or anything...she got it last year and her insurance covered it...but she has a new plan this year and isn't sure and was going to look into it.
38 comments:
This seems pretty simple to me: If it's something you care about, ask her to go with the kids and get one when they do and tell her that you'll pay. If it's something you don't care about, leave it to the nanny to do or not do as she chooses.
Perhaps the problem here is that you view it as important and your husband does not. If the nanny isn't covered, someone is going to have to make an "executive decision."
I think that would be very thoughtful to pay for her flu shot!
Its not expensive to get the shot. Alot of local pharmacies offer it. In my town CVS offers the shot. Just check the times and dates they do this. Seniors are free. Everyone else has to pay I believe under $20.00.
Down here even if you don't have insurance a flu shot is around 20 bucks at the local pharmacies. Why would your husband have a problem with shelling out 20 bucks?
Would he still feel the 20 bucks isn't worth it when the nanny gets sick and can't work? Would be be willing to be the one to stay home with the kids until the nanny can come back?
wow thats so cool of you to want to do that for her. awesome.
This one is easy. If you require it you should pay for it and any co pays involved.
If she wants to get it and you couldn't care less: then its 100% her expense.
If she wants to get it and you see any advantage in it for your child: then ask her to bring you a receipt and offer to pay half. Even if her copay is just $15 with a HMO plan and insurance covers it- at least give her the $7.50.
Its not about the money, its about maintaining a healthy and caring work relationship.
On that note, I am passing on the flu shot this year. Last year was my first and last one.
I say it is the employers responsibility to incur all costs if it is something they want! Thank you for being so thoughtful and vigilent about your nanny's thoiughts, feelings,as well as financial status! Here's to a flu-less season :)
Do you provide her health insurance? If so, I think it's reasonable to ask her to check if they'll cover it. You could offer to take care of the co-pay.
You could tell your husband that the flu shot is a form of insurance for you and your husband. Pay a little now to save yourselves time and money later--no flu means no days out from work, and not having to deal with the stress of finding someone to take care of the kids while your nanny is sick for a week.
This is OP...My husband saw the light finally....we are paying for her flu shot if she isn't covered..she's looking into it.
I see it no different than MY employeer paying for MINE...they keep me from getting sick, and I want to keep her from getting sick (and exposing my kids..even though they got the shot).
12:00 PM
RE-POST FOR OP!!!!!
Good OP. It's so cheap anyway. I get mine at the grocery store and it's really cheap.
Janet English,
What happened to turn you off the flu shot? I decided to skip mine last year...and no more had I finished congratulating myself on "getting away with" avoiding the shot (flu season was just ending) than I got a really, really bad case of pneumonia.
I'm getting mine this sfternoon.
Janet, I'm not suggesting that you that you should or shouldn't get the shot. I really think its a personal choice. I've just jheard about a few people having a bad experience and I'm curious.
Oh and I asked my doctor yesterday about the Flu Mist (I HATE shots...WITH A PASSION) and he said, no way no how would he ever subject himself to a live virus vaccine if there was any possible alternative, and he can't understand why anybody would. So there's a little tidbit from an MD if anybody's on the fence about which vaccine to get.
Mom
That's actually a great question. I am debating on getting my 1st Flu shot ever. I have heard bad stories, but after fighting pneumonia for 2 months last year in a hospital, I'm thinking I want to get one this year.
Somebody please tell me what's so bad about the shot? I know you're supposed to get a little sick/icky from it, but that passes in a day or two - right?
And the Flu mist? I agree 100%! I heard the exact same thing. WHY expose yourself to a live virus if you don't have to?!
Um, you can usually get a flu shot for under $20. If your husband is quibbling at that, you guys should probably not have a nanny.
It's a common misconception that the flu shot "causes" flu. Virtually all vaccines these days are NOT live viruses (measles is an exception), and getting a flu shot DOES help minimize the severity of a flu even if you do catch it. Most people have a sore spot on their arm for a few hours, if that.
If your nanny doesn't mind taking unpaid sick time, then tell her it's fine if she really wants to skip the flu shot. If you are paying for it or her insurance covers it, she has no logical reason to not get it.
Geeze is the O.P. really that hard up for $20.00?
Sorry, hadn't read all the way through the comments yet. I see the comment was about flu mist vs. shot. I'm glad your nanny is getting it and you are paying.
Calimom is right about catching the flu form the shot. But oyu CAN catch it form the flu mist, according to what my doctor said yesterday.
And not a park slope nanny. You better ask your doctor ASAP. You may not be a candidate for skipping the flu shot. And I seriously hope you got a pneumonia vaccine once you were well. You probably have a compromised immunity somehow, because (again, according to my lung doctor) 90% of people can count on never getting pneumonia (at least the serious variety you describe, which is completely different than "walking pneumonia")...but those who do, usually get it because there is an underlying lung problem, or immune deficiency. Mine says I MUST have a flu shot every year...and he gave me the pneumonia vaccine, which lasts for 10 years, also. YOu can die from pneumonia. Its probably far more serious for you to get the flu than it is to have whatever slight side effects the shot might produce.
My daughter was at risk as a newborn, but too young to get a flu shot. Her doctor was so concerned that she insited that the entire family get the shots and then for us to keep the baby as sequestered as possible during the flu season.
Geeze,just found out in my town they are offering the shot for $10 dollars.
Miserly Bastard-must you bash her husband? seriously. I'm sure he had his reasons. Although I totally think that they should pay for their nanny, but I'm just saying that its completely useless to tell the OP that her husband is an idiot if you want her to listen to your advice at all. lol.
Really Mom? I wonder if they gave me the pneumonia shot once I got well?
Probably not, huh? Now I'm nervous. I guess I'll be giving my doctor a call.
I know I had a very rare strain and that's why it was so hard to treat. I really thought for awhile there I wasn't going to make it. I lost over 30 lbs. my first 2 wks. in the hospital. Very scary.
I try to get mine toward the end of the day, or a day off bc it makes me a little tired and blah feeling and I get sort of feverish. But once I get home and sleep it off I'm fine. Oh, except that you'll feel like you got punched in the arm for two days. But it's worth it with all those germs the kiddos bring home from school.
Not a park slope nanny.
I hear you! Pneumonia HURTS...and it's SCARY. My doctor told me after that it could have gone either way. Yikes! I'm so glad I didn't know that at the time.
Call your doctor about that pneumonia shot and see what his opinion is about you getting one.
I didn't even know there was such a thing before my doctor gave me one. it's not a 100% prevention, but I htink it protects agains strep...or one of the main causes of pneumonia anyway. I was still kind of out of it at the time. It took literally two month afterward to get back on my feet and not have to sleep 14 hours a day.
I am very phobic of shots and have gotten FluMist for the last 2 years. I have had no side effects at all from it (though I did have a bad taste in my mouth immed. after). My insurance paid for it.
mommabear, you sound like me. I am SO phobic about shots. I got the FluMist one year before I knew it was not for asthma patients.
I had no problems but it did taste yucky.
My kids (who, if possible are more phobic than me) thought it tasted so bad that they said they prefered the shots....which is not to say, by any means, that they went willingly the next year for shots.
Mom,
you know all my life I have passed on the flu shot even as a child.
My husband encouraged me to get one last year since it was "a bad season".
I dont mind needles at all. The shot made me lethargic for several days. I was so mad at myself.
The flu shot doesnt mean you dont get sick it just lessons the intensity. Many people think the shot makes them sick but it's not possible. People who already have the virus in their body and then get a shot tend to blame it on that.
Im not discouraging the shot, I just don't think it's for me.
Give me a break! With all due respect what are we talking about here 10 or 20 bucks? Pay for it and don't tell cheapo hubby! Good grief!
why don't you try covering it because you care about her?
selfishness and cheapness are the WORST qualities in an employer. only you can decide what kind of employer you want to be.
Do you think the nanny is telling you she wants the shot but in reality maybe she doesn't. Maybe, shes pregnant and not telling you? I know when I was pregnant I got the shot. But I didn't get it until after the first trimester.
I think its a great idea for you to pay for your nanny's flu shot. I am a nanny, and even though its only "around 20 bucks" It is still a weight off my shoulders that its 20 more bucks that I have in my pocket.
I agree with the poster who said to bring her along to your doctor. Or have her run with you on errands to the pharmacy and get one there instead.
I would be more likely to get one if my employer offered to pay for it, and was in the mindset of do it if you want to, but if you dont, you will still have your job.
10:48 PM
RE-POST FOR ANONYMOUS!!
I think you should pay for it if you want to, but in my opinion, you are not required to. Like you said, it is beneficial to you because it protects your child's health and she is less likely to call in sick. I would pay for it if I were you.
I worked with immune suppressed children for about 10 years. Everyone who worked in their house got the shot. They hired a nurse to come to the house and administer it. Since I no longer work for them, I still get the shot on my own (of course I make a lot more money now). I applaud you for thinking of not only your own children's safety, but your nannies as well.
How would a normal person know about all of thise nickel and dime ways to get a flu shot? I am sure the OP and her husband were pondering a flu shot administered by a physician, not some pharmacy technician hopped up on that rare combination of diet pills, xanax and valium, (a favorite of mine).
Jonesing
Xanax and Valium are the same thing. If you were to go to a Pharmacy and get both prescriptions filled, the insurance companies would deny it.. it's considered a "double therapeutic".
nynanny, (aka NOT my pharmacist)
I understand what you are saying but I rely on a carefully sculpted therapeutic blend of pillage. Only half are prescribed for me.
Son's hydrocodone + Dad's muscle relaxer + OTC nighttime cole medicine + 4 glasses of wine = a really sound sleep.
*correction
stepson's
jonesing,
are you joking? to me that equals=
someone who needs help.
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