Vaccines for children (VFC) program: information for parents

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program provides free vaccines to eligible children through participating healthcare providers. Learn how your child can get protected at no cost.

Who is eligible?

Children through 18 years of age who meet at least one of the following criteria are eligible to receive VFC vaccine:

Enrolled in Medicaid
Enrolled in the Utah Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)
Not insured: A child who has no health insurance coverage
American Indian or Alaska Native: As defined by the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603)
Under-insured: A child who has commercial (private) health insurance but the coverage does not include vaccines, a child whose insurance covers only selected vaccines (VFC-eligible for non-covered vaccines only), or a child whose insurance caps vaccine coverage at a certain amount. Once that coverage amount is reached, the child is categorized as under-insured. Under-insured children are eligible to receive VFC vaccine only through a federally qualified health center (FQHC) or rural health clinic (RHC)

Frequently asked questions

An FQHC, or federally-qualified health center, is a community-based health center that provides comprehensive primary care, dental, and mental health services to underserved communities, regardless of a patient's ability to pay. FQHCs are funded by the federal government and offer services on a sliding fee scale, which adjusts costs based on income and family size. They are crucial parts of the U.S. healthcare safety net, ensuring access to care for low-income and minority populations and reducing barriers to health.

If your child meets one of the VFC eligibility criteria listed above, the vaccine must always be provided free of charge. The vaccines have already been paid for with federal tax dollars. This means that no one can charge a fee for the vaccine itself.

However, each state immunization provider has been granted (by law) the ability to charge what is called an “administrative fee.” An administrative fee is similar to a patient’s co-pay, to help providers offset their costs of doing business.

The amount of the administrative fee differs from state to state, based on a regional scale determined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In Utah, the maximum amount a provider can charge is $20.72 per vaccine.

These regional administrative charges are maximum fees that providers may ask patients to pay. That means that a provider may charge a patient any amount up to, but not exceeding that charge, for each vaccine administered. There is no lower limit, so providers have the option to charge what they feel is fair, including no charge at all.

Immunization recommendations for children

Starting at birth, everyone is recommended vaccinations. Following the recommended vaccine schedule provides children and teens with the best protection from potentially serious diseases.

Learn more