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By Disease or Condition

Immunizations

Alcohol and Drug Use

Smoking and Tobacco Use

Sexual and Reproductive Health

Infectious Diseases

Health Care-Associated Infections

Children and Adolescents

Immigrant Health


NYC VFC Provider Requirements: Administering Vaccine

Vaccine Preparation

It is not acceptable clinical practice to pre-draw vaccines into syringes. Providers should draw vaccine only at the time of administration to ensure that the cold chain is maintained and the vaccine is not inappropriately exposed to light. Guidelines for vaccine preparation should be outlined in the provider’s Vaccine Management Plan. For more information go to ​Vaccine Preparation.

Vaccine Information Statements (VIS)

Providers are required to give patients the most current VIS before the administration of each dose of vaccine. The latest VIS can be found on the Immunization Action Coalition website and CDC website. Providers are also required to document this action in the patient’s permanent medical record.

The following should be documented and available for review during VFC compliance site visits:

which specific VIS was given (e.g., MMR)

the date of publication of the VIS

the date the VIS was provided

Additionally, providers must maintain records in accordance with the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, including reporting clinically significant adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) website.

Vaccine Administration Fee

Providers are not allowed to charge eligible children for vaccines; however they can charge a vaccine administration fee. The maximum vaccine administration fee providers can charge depends on the childs VFC eligibility category.

Medicaid Fee-For-Service $17.85

Medicaid Managed Care per contractual agreement with managed care company

CHP (Child Health Plus) per contractual agreement with managed care company

Uninsured $17.85

Underinsured $17.85

American Indian/Alaskan Native $17.85

Please note that an eligible child cannot be denied vaccine due to the inability of the child’s parent or guardian to pay the vaccine administration fee.

Documenting VFC Eligibility

VFC-enrolled providers are required to document VFC/publicly funded vaccine eligibility for all children immunized at their practices. Eligibility can be documented in paper form using the Vaccine Administration Record (PDF) form or electronically in the provider’s electronic medical record.

Reporting Administered Vaccines Doses

VFC-enrolled providers are also required to report administered vaccine doses for all VFC eligible patients to the VFC Program through the City Immunization Registry (CIR). Reporting to the CIR can be done electronically (PDF) or online. When reporting administered vaccines doses to the CIR the VFC eligibility must be indicated. The following should be indicated as well:

Vaccine lot number

Vaccine manufacturer

Expiration date

Reported doses are used to calculate a provider’s Doses Administered Report (DAR) and findings are used to ensure that:

VFC vaccines are administered only to eligible children

Mandatory CIR requirements are met

Providers order vaccines in accordance with the number of children seen on a yearly basis

The NYC VFC Program sends providers their DAR report quarterly and based on report findings the following actions are taken:

The Vaccine Management Unit (VMU) adjusts vaccine orders for providers with DARs < 80%

The Provider Quality Assurance (PQA) Unit conducts VFC Compliance Site Visits to determine why DAR is low

The CIR staff conduct outreach to providers with low DARs < 60% to resolve issues with reporting of vaccines administered and to train providers to use the CIR’s Online Registry VFC vaccine ordering tool to order an appropriate amount of vaccine for their VFC-eligible population

Other Resources

Enrollment & Re-Certification

Provider Site Visits

Vaccine Management

Vaccine Storage & Handling

Vaccine Fraud and Abuse