Vaccines
for Children Program (VFC)
For Parents |
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Vaccines
For Children Program
In
Brief: Information for
Parents
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What is the
Vaccines for Children Program?
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program
is a federal program that provides eligible
children all recommended vaccines at no cost.
You may, however, be charged a small processing
fee. The federal government pays for
the vaccines, and doctors and clinics agree
to give the vaccines to children who qualify.
If your doctor
is a VFC participating provider you can
get your child's shots in the doctor's office.
However, if your doctor is not a "VFC
participating provider," you can take
your child to your local health department
or to your community or rural health center
clinic for these free or low cost vaccines.
Is my child
eligible?
Children from birth through 18 years of age
can receive vaccines through the VFC program
if they are at least one of the following:
- eligible
for Medicaid
- without health
insurance
- American
Indian or Alaska Native
- under-insured*
*If you have
health insurance that doesn't cover vaccines,
your child is eligible. However, you
will have to go to a federally qualified health
center or a rural health clinic for your VFC
vaccinations. Call your local or state
health department immunization program for
a center nearest you.
How much
will I have to pay?
You won't pay anything for the vaccine itself,
but you may be asked to pay a small processing
fee. However, you can still get the vaccine,
even if you can not pay this fee. The
savings to you can be well over $400!
Where can
I get VFC vaccines for my child?
Most baby and family doctors take part
in the VFC program. Ask your doctor.
Or call your local or state health department
immunization program to find out if your doctor
is a "VFC participating provider".
They can also give you a list of "VFC
participating providers" in your area.
For more information
on the VFC program, please call your doctor,
your local health department, or your state
immunization program.
You can also
email the National Immunization Program or
visit the national VFC program website:
Email: nipinfo@cdc.gov
VFC website: www.cdc.gov/nip/vfc
Or call
the CDC Information Contact Center:
1-800-CDC-INFO
(1-800-232-4636)
TTY (hearing impaired): 1-888-232-6348
Which diseases
can the VFC vaccines prevent?
- Diphtheria
- Haemophilus
influenzae type b (Hib)
- Hepatitis
A
- Hepatitis
B
- Measles
- Mumps
- Pertussis
(whooping cough)
- Pneumoccocal
disease
- Polio
- Rubella
(German measles)
- Tetanus
(lockjaw)
- Varicella
(chickenpox)
Some people
think these diseases no longer exist
They do exist. But we seldom see
most of them in the U.S. because of successful
vaccination programs, such as the VFC program.
The only way to keep from seeing these diseases
often, and to protect our children from them,
is to continue to vaccinate against them.
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