Up until very recently - a month or so ago - the shingles vaccine cost the patient about $200 where I live - in Ontario. For a very brief period, persons between certain ages - 55 or 50 - age 70, could receive the zostafax for free, but only up to the end of this year - Dec 31, 2016.

I was aware that people who had had chicken pox should get the vaccine, but the cost of it was prohibitive, so never did have it, although I have been aware of it for several years now.  I wasn't sure that I had had chicken pox, another reason why I didn't get it, though I inquired about it. Then 2 years ago I had shingles. A month ago I went in for the free shingles vaccine.  

What a strange article, to leave the cost of the vaccine out of it completely, except for one brief mention end about family offering to pay for any costs associated with having it if they can persuade an elderly person to get it.  Sounds a bit ageist to me. At the very least, the author is not taking older adults seriously.