Vaccines for Children Program
Encyclopedia
The Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) is a federally
funded program in the United States providing no-cost vaccines to children who lack health insurance
or who cannot otherwise afford the cost of the vaccination. The VFC program was created by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
and is required to be a new entitlement of each state's Medicaid
plan. The program was officially implemented in October 1994.
epidemic
in the United States resulted in several tens of thousands of cases of measles and hundreds of deaths. Upon investigation, CDC found that more than half of the children who had measles had not been immunized, despite seeing a health care provider.
In partial response to that epidemic, Congress
passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) on August 10, 1993, creating the VFC Program. It became operational October 1, 1994 and is known as section 1928 of the Social Security Act, the VFC program is an entitlement
for eligible children, age 18 and below.
(CDC). The CDC buys vaccines at a discount directly from manufacturers and distributes them to state health departments and certain local and territorial public health agencies. The agencies then redistribute the vaccines at no cost to those private physicians' offices and public health clinics that are registered as VFC program providers.
(ACIP) makes recommendations to the VFC program as to what are the most appropriate selection of vaccines and related agents for control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the civilian population of the United States. VFC resolutions passed by the ACIP form the basis for VFC program policies on vaccine availability and usage. They may not necessarily match the general usage recommendations of the ACIP, but rather represent the rules that providers must follow for administering each specific vaccine under the VFC program.
The following vaccines are included in the VFC Program:
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
funded program in the United States providing no-cost vaccines to children who lack health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
or who cannot otherwise afford the cost of the vaccination. The VFC program was created by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 was federal law that was enacted by the 103rd United States Congress and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It has also been referred to, unofficially, as the Deficit Reduction Act of 1993...
and is required to be a new entitlement of each state's Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
plan. The program was officially implemented in October 1994.
History
From 1989 through 1991, a measlesMeasles
Measles, also known as rubeola or morbilli, is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus, specifically a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus. Morbilliviruses, like other paramyxoviruses, are enveloped, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA viruses...
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
in the United States resulted in several tens of thousands of cases of measles and hundreds of deaths. Upon investigation, CDC found that more than half of the children who had measles had not been immunized, despite seeing a health care provider.
In partial response to that epidemic, Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) on August 10, 1993, creating the VFC Program. It became operational October 1, 1994 and is known as section 1928 of the Social Security Act, the VFC program is an entitlement
Entitlement
An entitlement is a guarantee of access to benefits based on established rights or by legislation. A "right" is itself an entitlement associated with a moral or social principle, such that an "entitlement" is a provision made in accordance with legal framework of a society...
for eligible children, age 18 and below.
Program
The VFC program is funded through an approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the funds are allocated to the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...
(CDC). The CDC buys vaccines at a discount directly from manufacturers and distributes them to state health departments and certain local and territorial public health agencies. The agencies then redistribute the vaccines at no cost to those private physicians' offices and public health clinics that are registered as VFC program providers.
Patient eligibility
Children and adolescents are eligible if it is before their 19th birthday and they meet one or more of the following criteria:- MedicaidMedicaidMedicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
-eligible - Uninsured (lacking health insurance)
- American IndianIndigenous peoples of the AmericasThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
or Alaska Native - Underinsured, that is, a child that is covered by some type of health insurance, but the insurance either does not cover any vaccines, covers only certain vaccines, or does cover some vaccines, but has a cap on the annual cost for vaccines.
Covered vaccines
The Advisory Committee on Immunization PracticesAdvisory Committee on Immunization Practices
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices provides advice and guidance on effective control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the U.S. civilian population. The ACIP develops written recommendations for routine administration of vaccines to the pediatric and adult populations, along with...
(ACIP) makes recommendations to the VFC program as to what are the most appropriate selection of vaccines and related agents for control of vaccine-preventable diseases in the civilian population of the United States. VFC resolutions passed by the ACIP form the basis for VFC program policies on vaccine availability and usage. They may not necessarily match the general usage recommendations of the ACIP, but rather represent the rules that providers must follow for administering each specific vaccine under the VFC program.
The following vaccines are included in the VFC Program:
- DiphtheriaDPT vaccineDPT refers to a class of combination vaccines against three infectious diseases in humans: diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus...
- Haemophilus influenzae type bHib vaccineHaemophilus influenzae type B vaccine is a conjugate vaccine developed for the prevention of invasive disease caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the use of the Hib vaccine. Due to routine use of the Hib vaccine in...
- Hepatitis AHepatitis A vaccineHepatitis A vaccine is a vaccine against the hepatitis A virus. The first successful vaccine against it was invented by Maurice Hilleman at Merck. The vaccine protects against the virus in more than 95% of cases and provides protection from the virus for at least ten years...
- Hepatitis BHepatitis B vaccineHepatitis B vaccine is a vaccine developed for the prevention of hepatitis B virus infection. The vaccine contains one of the viral envelope proteins, hepatitis B surface antigen . It is produced by yeast cells, into which the genetic code for HBsAg has been inserted...
- Human PapillomavirusHPV vaccineThe human papilloma virus vaccine prevents infection with certain species of human papillomavirus associated with the development of cervical cancer, genital warts, and some less common cancers...
- Influenza
- MeaslesMeasles vaccineMeasles vaccine is a highly effective vaccine used against measles. The measles-mumps-rubella-varicella combo vaccine has been available since 2005...
- MeningococcalMeningococcal vaccineMeningococcal vaccine is a vaccine used against Meningococcus, a bacterium that causes meningitis, meningococcemia, septicemia, and rarely carditis, septic arthritis, or pneumonia.-Types:...
- MumpsMumps vaccineSeveral varieties of mumps vaccine have been used since 1949, and at least 10 strains were in use in 2006:The first vaccine was a killed mumps virus vaccine developed in 1948 and used in the United States from 1950-1978. This vaccine produced little immune memory, thus had a short duration of...
- PertussisDPT vaccineDPT refers to a class of combination vaccines against three infectious diseases in humans: diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus...
(whooping cough) - PneumococcalPneumococcal vaccineA pneumococcal vaccine is a vaccine against Streptococcus pneumoniae.Types include:* Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine* Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine-Vaccination in the USA:...
- PoliomyelitisPolio vaccineTwo polio vaccines are used throughout the world to combat poliomyelitis . The first was developed by Jonas Salk and first tested in 1952. Announced to the world by Salk on April 12, 1955, it consists of an injected dose of inactivated poliovirus. An oral vaccine was developed by Albert Sabin...
- Rotavirus
- RubellaRubella vaccineRubella vaccine is a vaccine used against rubella.One form is called "Meruvax"....
- TetanusDPT vaccineDPT refers to a class of combination vaccines against three infectious diseases in humans: diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus...
- Varicella zosterVaricella vaccineThe varicella vaccine is a live virus that protects against the viral disease commonly known as chickenpox caused by Varicella Zoster Virus . Varicella vaccine is marketed as Varivax in the U.S. by Merck...