Eligibility and Provider Requirements
Who is eligible to receive VFC vaccine?
To be eligible for VFC, a child (age 0-18 years) must fit one of these categories:
- Enrolled in Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan;
- Uninsured; or
- American Indian/Alaskan Native.
Children whose health insurance policies do not cover some or all vaccines, or only cover vaccines until a child reaches a certain age (i.e. considered "underinsured"), may receive no cost immunizations at public sites such as county health department clinics and clinics that are designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) or a Rural Health Clinic (RHC).
What is required to be a VFC Provider?
VFC is a federally funded program run by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The CDC buys the vaccine and distributes it throughout the country. Due to the importance of the program, there are requirements at the federal and state levels to ensure vaccine is safe, effective, and well managed. In Oregon, VFC requirements are outlined in our program Vaccine Management Guide. See below to learn about those requirements.
National requirements
Oregon requirements
Site Visits
Clinics enrolled in the VFC program will receive a site visit within the first six months of enrolling and then every 18-24 months after that. These visits are a time to check how the clinic is complying with the program requirements. To assess how prepared your clinic is for a site visit, fill out the Preparing for a VFC Site Visit Checklist. Clinics may also receive an unannounced visit to check vaccine storage and handling.