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Official Website

of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The .gov means its official.

    Local, state, and federal government websites often end in .gov. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania government websites and email systems use "pennsylvania.gov" or "pa.gov" at the end of the address. Before sharing sensitive or personal information, make sure you're on an official state website. 

    ​Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program

    Information for VFC providers.

    ​​​​​​​​​​The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program provides vaccines to children who do not have health insurance. Children who are insured but whose insurance does not cover immunizations are also eligible to receive federally funded vaccines at public sites, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics. For more information regarding PA’s VFC Program, contact 1-888-646-6864.

     

    Flu Prebook Information

    2024-2025 Flu Prebook will open on Monday July 1, 2024 and close on Friday August 16, 2024. Flu Prebook will be completed exclusively in the Pennsylvania Immunization Electronic Registry System (PIERS). A Quick Reference Sheet titled QRS-Prebook that provides guidance on filling out and submitting the flu prebook order is available in PIERS under Reports in PA WEBIZ Forms and Resources. Providers will receive a notification in PIERS when 2024-2025 Flu Prebook is available. PIERS will also send periodic, automated reminders to providers who have not submitted their prebook order. Only one prebook order is needed per clinic.

    As with every influenza season, orders will be completed based on the supply of vaccine available. Please be sure to review your organization's formulary and order only the vaccines on your formulary and in your EMR. Providers will only be able to submit their prebook order one time, so please make every effort to ensure accuracy.

    Distribution of the influenza vaccine will most likely begin in September or sooner if possible. It is anticipated that flu ordering will open in PIERS in December, or sooner if possible, for additional provider orders.​

    Provider Enrollment

    Providers* interested in enrolling in the Pennsylvania Immunizations Program as a VFC provider must review the Provider Policies below and complete the Pennsylvania Immunization Program Policy Acknowledgment Form and Provider Agreement. DO NOT CLICK ON THIS LINK IF YOU ARE TRYING TO COMPLETE 2024 REENROLLMENT. 2024 Reenrollment is completed entirely and exclusively in PIERS. Do not submit a Reactivation application for 2024 Reenrollment.​

    View a PDF of the Pennsylvania Immunization Program Provider Agreement​ to use as a reference when completing the electronic application form. All applications must be submitted using the electronic form.​

    *Specialty care providers including, but not limited to, pharmacists and urgent care centers must meet at least one the following need-based criteria to be eligible to apply for the PA VFC Program:

    • located in a Health Professional Shortage Area for Primary Care;
    • located in a Medically Underserved Area; or
    • located in a geographic gap in VFC coverage (no other VFC providers within a 30-minute travel radius).

    To determine eligibility prior to applying, specialty care providers can contact the VFC Program Manager, currently Julie Myers, by email julimyers@pa.gov. Please include site name and address.

    Please note, pharmacists, urgent care centers, and school-located vaccination clinics must agree to vaccinate all "walk-in" VFC-eligible children, in addition to meeting all general VFC requirements.

    In order to complete the Pennsylvania Immunization Program Policy Acknowledgment Form and Provider Agreement, providers should be prepared with the following:

    1.     Medical Director, Primary and Back Up coordinator should read the Pennsylvania Immunization Program Provider Policies found here below.

    2.     Primary and Back Up coordinators both complete the 2024 You Call the Shots Modules 10 and 16 training modules and save training certificates as PDFs (four in total) to upload with application.

    3.     Current certificates of calibration for all DDLs including at least one back up DDL saved as PDFs.

    4.     Current patient population broken out into the following groups:

    a.     Total patient population under age one (both private and VFC-eligible)

      • Number of patients under age one that receive medical assistance
      • Number of patients under age one that are uninsured
      • Number of patients under age one that are underinsured
      • Number of patients under age one who are American Indian or Native Alaskan
      1. Total patient population ages one through six (both private and VFC-eligible)Number of patients ages one through six that receive medical assistance
      • Number of patients ages one through six that receive medical assistance
      • Number of patients ages one through six that are uninsured
      • Number of patients ages one through six that are underinsured
      • Number of patients ages one through six that are American Indian or Native Alaskan
      1. Total patient population ages seven through 18 (both private and VFC-eligible)
      • Number of patients ages seven through 18 that receive medical assistance
      • Number of patients ages seven through 18 that are uninsured
      • Number of patients ages seven through 18 that are underinsured
      • Number of patients ages seven through 18 that are American Indian or Native Alaskan
      1. Total patient population age 19 and older (both private and VFC-eligible)
      • Number of patients age 19 and older that receive medical assistance
      • Number of patients age 19 and older that are uninsured
      • Number of patients age 19 and older that are underinsured
      • Number of patients age 19 and older that are American Indian or Native Alaskan

    Please note, the sum of the number of patients in each age group that receive medical assistance, are uninsured, are underinsured, or are American Indian or Alaskan Native should be less than the reported Total patient population in each age group one as these figures also includes the number of private patients.

    New Enrollment Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)​

    All PA Immunization Program immunization ordering is done through the Pennsylvania Immunization Electronic Registry System (PIERS). Each individual who will need to access PIERS must also create a PA TRAIN account and complete the Pennsylvania Immunization Electronic Registry System (PIERS) User Training.

    Each individual who will need to access PIERS must complete a PIERS Business Partner registration. Registration can be completed at the following site:

    PIERS account questions and login issues can be directed to RA-DHPIERSUSERACCT@PA.GOV
    All other questions about PIERS can be directed to RA-DHPIERSSUPPORT@PA.GOV​​

    PA Immunization Program Provider Policies

    Provider Training

    You Call the Shots-Module Sixteen-Vaccines for Children Program – Primary and back-up VFC vaccine coordinators: new hires and prior to annual reenrollment each year

    You Call the Shots-Module Ten-Storage and Handling – Primary and back-up VFC vaccine coordinators: new hires and prior to annual reenrollment each year

    The CDC TRAIN homepage​ allows users to create and access accounts. Users must have an active account to take training courses.

    Vaccine Manufacturers Information

    Questions?

    Please contact the VFC Program at 1-888-646-6864 or RA-pavfc@pa.gov

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