State will no longer pay for free vaccines for all

This is likely the last year all school-aged children and teens will receive free vaccines in North Carolina.

The state Legislature passed a law effective July 1 stating that children covered by health insurance must pay for their own vaccines. In years past, the state paid for vaccines for every child up to 18 years of age, said Lynne Laws, community health services nurse supervisor for Catawba County Public Health.

Now, only children covered by Medicaid, uninsured children, children who are insured but immunizations are not covered by their health insurance and American Indian or Alaskan Native children will receive free vaccines, according to new state guidelines. The change to the N.C. Immunization Program (NCIP) was made in light of the economic crunch the state is facing.

To help families with the transition, the state has set aside $3 million to help counties ensure that every student is vaccinated this year.

"It's for all counties for this transitional period, for kindergarten through eighth grade students," Laws said.

The vaccines covered by the $3 million are for all children, regardless of whether they are covered by insurance or not, she said. Once the $3 million is gone, families covered under insurance will no longer receive free immunizations.

Counties could not request money from the state from the allotment, but they could request vaccines. Laws said Catawba County Public Health requested the same number of vaccines it used from 2009-10 — 15,000. Private providers also requested the number of vaccines based on last year's amount. She said she's unsure of how much those vaccines cost.

Laws said she anticipates everyone in Catawba County will be able to get free vaccines this year, as well as throughout the state. However, she's worried about next year.

"We may not have this money next school year," Laws said. "I think we'll have to look at other ways to assist people next year to help them be up-to-date with vaccines. This will create a hardship for people."

She said the economy has created a difficult situation for many people. Although children may be covered by insurance, copays for immunizations can add up fast.

"Five shots for kindergarteners can be $200 for someone with no insurance," Laws said, adding that some insurance companies requires you to pay the cost upfront. "If you have to pay upfront and be reimbursed, that can be expensive."

She said flu shots are also included in the law. Children who qualify for the free vaccines will also get free flu shots, as well. Kids who are insured will pay $20 for the flu shot.

Although the rules are changing, though, Laws hopes parents will still have their children immunized — primarily because it's important for the child's safety.

"It's one of the best ways to prevent disease," she said. "We think next year, people will still get vaccines like they should. Just for the safety of kids, the majority of people believe in vaccines. People will find a way to keep their kids vaccinated."

Leslie Barnette, director of elementary education for Catawba County Schools, said many will continue to get vaccines not only for their child's safety, but because it's state law.

Children must have their state-required vaccines within 30 days of the start of school or else they will be sent home until they are immunized.

"By state statute, they can't attend school after 30 days. We don't suspend them, but they can't come to school. If they have their vaccines scheduled (after 30 days), they can still attend," Barnette said.

If a student has started a series of shots, like Polio or DTP, which require four and five shots, respectively, but stopped or hasn't finished, Barnette said she leaves the decision up to the school nurse or the health department as to whether the student should finish the series of shots or not.

Laws said two vaccinations in a series is better than none, but that child is not fully immunized against a disease.

"The child has a better chance of contracting an illness than one that has received all the vaccines," she said.

Barnette said the new law requiring more parents to pay for vaccinations adds one more expense for parents, but she expects no change in the number of students who are vaccinated.

"I do think it will be a hardship on some parents, but I think parents will work to be in compliance," she said.

Laws said 90 percent of all 2-year-olds in Catawba County are up-to-date with immunizations. She hopes that trend will continue next year, when there is no longer the $3 million pool of money to finance the vaccines for all children.

Laws said she's hopeful the state will once again finance vaccines for all children in the future.

"I would like to think as things improve, the state will pick up the cost of vaccines again," she said. "If the state requires it, they should help us overcome that barrier of financing it."