The Kentucky State Fair is known for many things: food, atmosphere and most of all, fun. One way Kentuckians get to enjoy the fair is through all the rides. The Kentucky Association of Health Plans (KAHP) is giving away wristbands for unlimited rides this year.
Through the Kentucky State Fair, KAHP is giving away free unlimited ride wristbands when attendees go to the Healthy Horizons Pavilion in South Wing B and get a flu shot.
This offer is only while supplies last, so attendees will need to be in the building early to get this one shot at unlimited action throughout the entire time the fair is going on.
“We see this as a way to help prevent unnecessary strain on the medical system,” stated Tom Stephens, KAHP President & CEO. “The flu shot lowers your risk of getting the flu. It also can lower the risk of having serious illness, a hospital stay, or even death as a result of the flu. These incentives have been extremely popular when we have offered them at the Fair over the last few years.”
KAHP says hours for available shots are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, though they will be closed on Monday, Aug. 19.
If you’re on Medicaid, you are also eligible for an incentive offered by your health plan on top of the KAHP giveaway, though KAHP did not specify what that incentive was.
What is KAHP doing to keep Kentuckians immunized outside of the Kentucky State Fair?
Earlier in July, KAHP partnered with Kentucky Voices for Health (KVH), including a $360,000 grant that was “engineered at building a stronger safety net.”“KVH does invaluable work with health plans, providers, pharmacists, community health workers, and social workers to address the unique needs of communities facing barriers to coverage, immunizations, and other basic needs,” stated Tom Stephens, President and CEO of KAHP.
The partnership between the two organizations comes at a time where children across Kentucky are increasingly becoming immunized against common diseases like influenza. However, Kentucky’s children and infants are some of the lowest immunized in the nation, according to KAHP.
“Kentucky’s infants and children have some of the lowest immunization rates in the nation for vaccine-preventable illnesses like measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria, Covid, and tetanus (lockjaw),” KAHP stated in a press release in July. “Two decades ago, diseases like measles and polio were considered eradicated in the United States However, low immunization rates, complicated by disruptions of the COVID–19 pandemic, have ripened an unfortunate public health opportunity for these preventable diseases to return.”
The Vaccines for Children program currently offers immunizations for children across Kentucky for free, though most children already have coverage through Medicaid and the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP).
“The Kentucky Association of Health Plans is deeply committed to improving vaccine access and uptake across the Commonwealth,” stated Tom Stephens, President and CEO of KAHP. “We have worked extensively with Jefferson County Public Schools and other districts to enhance vaccination rates. This is a responsibility that Kentucky's Medicaid managed care plans make a top priority.”
