You don’t have to go broke to protect yourself from the flu, especially if you know how to find free or low-cost flu shots in the Philadelphia area. Here are some ways to get your flu shot on the cheap this year

Residents who have Medicare Part B may be able to get their flu shot for no cost.

If you have an underlying health condition, your flu shot could be co-pay free at your doctor’s office. For example, I have asthma. When I go to the doctor for just a flu shot, it is free. They don’t charge me a co-pay because my insurance, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, covers it. Check with your insurance carrier to find out if this is true for you.

Look for community flu shot clinics (not those offered through the state or county. Scroll down for more about that.) For example, Drexel University’s Convenient Care Center, in the Shops of Liberty Place at 16th & Chestnut, is offering flu vaccinations for $25 and are available to patients 18 and older with no appointment necessary.

Your state or county health department may be offering free flu shot clinics. (This was how I got my free flu shot during the H1N1 predicted pandemic a few years ago.)

• Cumberland County in New Jersey is offering free flu clinics for county residents, including a drive-through flu shot clinic for kids in Millville on October 6th.
• Salem County in New Jersey also has free flu clinics scheduled.
• Delaware County in Pennsylvania has listed where you can get flu shots for a nominal fee.
• There will be 3 drive-through flu clinics in Montgomery County (Pennsylvania) in October.

A flu shot at the supermarket or local pharmacy may be cheaper than going to the doctor.

• The Giant Supermarket store near me charges $30 for a flu shot. If your co-pay at the doctor is $50, as it is for some of my friends, then clearly this is a better deal.
• CVS is charging $29.99 for a flu shot, and if your insurance doesn’t cover that cost, CVS will give you a free $5 gift card as a thank you for choosing CVS for your flu shot. (Note: New Jersey residents cannot take advantage of this free gift card offer. If it makes you feel any better, neither can residents of New York and Massachusetts. Go figure!)
• RiteAid, which charges $27.99 for a flu shot, will also reward you for getting your flu shot at RiteAid. On a first come, first-served basis, you can get a coupon book worth $100 in savings.

If I come across additional information about free and low-cost flu shots in the Philadelphia area for 2011, I’ll write an updated post.