I am traveling to Africa, and tried to make an appointment to get the reccommended overseas shots. It turns out its going to cost me over $500.00. I have medical insurance, but they claim this will have to be out-of-pocket as they dont cover "this kind of thing." I don't get why overseas shots are so expensive, and why our trip organizer never mentioned how costly these shots would be. He has an iternerary with all the other estimated costs (eg food, lodging, airfare), but nothing about slamming half a grand down for some shots.Im thinking about not even getting any. I went on the Center for Disease control, and it turns out that if Im going to South Africa, there are no required shots to even take. Just some malaria pills. But can someone PLEASE explain why overseas shots are never really discussed in society, as being over-expensive? I mean, is this just something people already know about and don't talk about?

Blow off the shots. This is standard USA medical practice. You can get the same shots overseas for as little as $10 a piece. Its just the American Medical Association still ripping off the public. About the malaria pills. Read the label carefully. The cure is worse than the disease in many of these cases. The warning on the label will tell it all as it describes a full on case of psychosis. A very uncomfortable session of insecurity and thoughts of suicide. However; There are different types of Malaria Preventions. Ask your doctor for one that isn't so hateful.

County Health departments often give these shots for much less than private practice doctors' offices.

they are expensive because if you catch these things they are more expensive to treat