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People these days don't get their periodic flu shots as recommended by professionals since most people think it isn't necessary until they start sneezing and stay sick at bed for over a week. But if you are one of them who skip flu shots for money matters, you should know that you pay nothing for flu shot, according to Medicare policies of 2016.

"In 2016, you pay nothing for a flu shot if the doctor or other qualified health care provider accepts assignment for giving the shot" reported Your Medicare Benefits' official statement.

The official government guide has information on the health care services and supplies covered in Medicare through two different plans. The Medicare Plan A is designed especially for hospital insurance and Medicare Plan B covers Medical insurance.

The information in the guide is specific for Original Medicare plan and not applicable for Medicare Advantage Plans like an HMO or PPO or any other Medicare specific plan. Though people with Medicare Advantage Plans can claim the Original Medicare benefits, the rules may vary according to the chosen plan.

While all of us know that flu is not a serious illness, it can be also be fatal in rare cases. Influenza infection varies with season and every infection is different and affects people differently every time. Flu season in the US begin in early October and ends late May. According to CDC, an annual seasonal flu vaccine, either nasal spray flu vaccine or a flu shot will help a lot in keeping the illness at bay.

"It's rare but it still happens," said Richard Watkins, M.D., an infectious-disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic Akron General Hospital in Ohio, about possibility of fatalities due to influenza infection, according to SELF. "Sometimes people who die have underlying health conditions that leave them compromised, but that's not always the case," he added.

Watkins also noted that flu shot doesn't prevent infection all the time that but when the shot is taken the severity of the illness would be relatively low. Though flu doesn't kill a person, prolonged infection makes the body weak and on the other hand might make it prone for other fatal infections.