The Vaccines for Children program (VFC) is designed to allow eligible children from birth through 18 years of age to receive free vaccinations.
The VFC program promotes the creation of a medical home for children by inviting private provider participation. It can also reduce referrals to public health clinics and help raise awareness of childhood immunizations.
Patient Eligibility
Eligible children include those who receive Medicaid, Native Americans or Alaskan Natives, uninsured, and children who have health insurance that does not cover vaccination. These underinsured children can receive immunizations from a Federally Qualified Health Center, Community/Rural Health Center, or Public Health Department. Contact a VFC provider near you to discuss eligibility.
Locating a Provider
The Mississippi State Department of Health provides all necessary immunizations at low cost. Immunizations are free if you qualify for the Vaccines for Children program. To locate a provider near you, see our list of VFC providers.
VFC Providers
Provider Enrollment
You don’t have to be a Medicaid provider to become a VFC enrolled provider, and there is no fee for enrolling. Health care providers may receive and administer VFC vaccine once they have been enrolled in the program. VFC providers must agree to comply with VFC Program requirements, including the storage and handling of vaccines, and agree to follow the ACIP Recommended Immunization Schedule.
VFC enrolled providers are allowed to charge a $10 administration fee per vaccine injection to non-Medicaid, VFC-eligible children; however, a VFC-eligible child should never be denied vaccine due to the parent’s inability to pay the administration fee.
For any child who is Medicaid eligible, the provider must bill Medicaid for the administration fee, or agree not to bill for the administration fee. Providers may elect to bill clients for a separate office visit. This vaccine administration fee is in ADDITION to the reimbursement for the office visit: it does not replace it.
Currently, approximately 425 private health care providers have enrolled with the Mississippi VFC Program.
Provider Enrollment Assessment
To enroll your clinic as a VFC provider for the first time, or to re-enroll after an absence, a readiness assessment is required. Please complete the VFC New Enrollment Assessment Request below, and a VFC immunization Representative will schedule a call to discuss VFC program requirements.
Provider Recertification Schedule
All Mississippi VFC Providers must recertify annually to continue their participation in the MSDH VFC Program. Provider recertifications are scheduled on a quarterly basis, allowing providers a three (3) month period in which they may submit their required documentation.
In addition, VFC providers must undergo a compliance visit at least every 24 months.
This new schedule is designed to reduce the amount of time the provider spends gathering documents to maintain VFC requirements, and allow documents to be ready for each compliance visit.
Schedule and contacts
Recertification quarters for specific VFC providers and contact information for the Provider Enrollment Team Member responsible for processing your recertification can be viewed or downloaded below.
