How do I bill for immunizations?
Edward L. Schor, MD, Medical Director Division of Family and Community Health,
Iowa Department of Public Health
Fall 2001

Billing through the federal Vaccine for Children (VFC) program:

Children who are eligible for VFC vaccine are those who are:

1. Enrolled in Medicaid
2. American Indian or Alaskan Native, or
3. Uninsured.

Billing through Iowa's HAWK-I program:

Physicians are encouraged to assist children to enroll in the HAWK-I program, and to bill the child's subsequent insurer for services including immunization. In general, physicians should not refer children enrolled in HAWK-I to public health clinics for immunization, since those clinics are prohibited from using VFC vaccine for this population. Some practices have developed special billing arrangements with public health clinics in order to reimburse them for immunizations, using non-VFC vaccine, for insured children.

For more information, please contact Carolyn Jacobson, IDPH, 515-281-4938.