Is the meningitis shot for teens covered by insurance?
Usually yes, with no cost share, for the two doses on the teen schedule. Code 90734 is the meningitis shot that covers four strains, given at 11 to 12 with a booster at 16. A dose demanded by a college outside that schedule, and the separate B strain series, both get looked at plan by plan.
$0 preventive
Free at the 11 to 12 and 16 doses
Two doses
One at 11 to 12 and a booster at 16. Teens whose first dose lands at 16 or later usually do not need a second one at all.
Two ACWY codes
The four strain shot bills under two different codes depending on the vial in your fridge. Pick the wrong one and the claim comes back.
B is not ACWY
The meningitis B series is separate, billed as 90620 or 90621, and is a shared decision from 16 to 23. Plans handle it far less consistently.
Before college
Campus forms come in fast in August. One eligibility check before the visit shows plan status and deductible left, so nothing waits on a callback.
What would a real check show for this patient's 90734?
Pick a sample plan and type your fee. This is the visibility a real-time check gives the desk for every actual patient, in under a second.
Eligibility readout · 90734
Sample- Coverage
- Active, teen shots at 100%
- Frequency
- Dose at 11 to 12 and a booster at 16
- Patient share
- Type your fee to see it
Estimate from a sample plan. A real check reads the actual plan in under a second.
When 90734 is the right code
- Routine dose at 11 or 12 years old
- Booster at 16 for teens dosed earlier
- Matches the four strain vial you stock
- Not the B strain series, which codes elsewhere
- Shot fee billed on a separate line
Documentation payers expect
Payers expect the dose date, the dose number and the vial that was used, since two codes describe the four strain shot and one of the two brands under this code is no longer made. Add the reason whenever the dose falls outside the teen schedule.
Why the meningitis shot gets denied
What college season brings
The 16 year old booster and the campus health form arrive together, and the form usually asks for the B series too, billed as 90620 or 90621 across two or three doses months apart. A dose given at a pharmacy or a college clinic runs through a different part of the plan and shows up as a separate bill. A teen who ages off a parent's plan at 26 starts over on cost sharing. Knowing the plan numbers first keeps the forms and the billing lined up.
90734, quick answers
Is the meningitis shot free for my teen?
On most plans yes, in network, for the dose at 11 to 12 and the booster at 16. Those two sit on the routine schedule plans cover as preventive.
The college wants it now. Is that still covered?
Usually, if the teen is due for the booster anyway. A dose outside the schedule can be reviewed first, which is worth knowing before the appointment, not after.
Is the B vaccine the same thing?
No. The B series is a different vaccine with its own codes, 90620 and 90621, and plans treat it as a shared decision for ages 16 to 23, so coverage varies more.
Does Medicare cover the meningitis vaccine?
Only through a Part D drug plan, and mainly for people the guidelines list as at risk. It is filled at a pharmacy rather than billed by the office.
Why did the office bill two lines for one shot?
One line is the vaccine and one is the fee for giving it. In network both are usually covered in full, so the extra line is not an extra charge.
More questions? Schedule 15 minutes with us and bring your toughest plan.
Teen vaccines verified before the campus form is due.
First month free, then $2.50 a check. No seat fees, no contract.
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Related: 90619 · 90620 · 90471
CPT is a registered trademark of the American Medical Association. This page is Valian's own plain-English summary for front-desk teams, not official CPT descriptor text, and is not billing or clinical advice. Coverage patterns are common plan behaviors; every plan differs. Verify benefits before the visit.