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About VFC-Plus

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About VFC-Plus | VFC-Plus Illinois | VFC -Plus Chicago

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program is a federally funded, state administered program that provides free vaccines to eligible children ages 18 and younger. Vaccines are provided free at no cost to the provider or the patient, although providers may charge an administration fee.

What is the history of the VFC program?

In 1989 – 1991, a measles epidemic in the United States resulted in tens of thousands of cases of measles and hundreds of deaths. Upon investigation, CDC found that more than half of the children who had measles had not been immunized, even though many of them had seen a health care provider.

In partial response to that epidemic, Congress passed the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) on August 10, 1993 , creating the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. VFC became operational October 1, 1994 . Known as section 1928 of the Social Security Act, the Vaccines for Children program is an entitlement program (a right granted by law) for eligible children, age 18 and below.

VFC helps families of children who may not otherwise have access to vaccines by providing free vaccines to doctors who serve them. VFC is administered at the national level by the CDC through the National Immunization Program. CDC contracts with vaccine manufacturers to buy vaccines at reduced rates.

States and eligible projects enroll physicians who serve eligible patients up to and including age 18 years to provide routine immunizations with little to no out-of-pocket costs to the parents. There are two federal VFC programs administered in Illinois: Chicago VFC-Plus (for providers in the City of Chicago ) and Illinois VFC-Plus (for providers outside the City of Chicago ).

Who do I contact for more information about the VFC-Plus program?

Additional information about the national VFC program can be found online at www.cdc.gov/nip/vfc/Default.htm or on this FAQ Document from CDC.

For more information about the Illinois VFC-Plus program (for any providers outside of the City of Chicago) contact:

Mark Amerson
Illinois Department of Public Health
525 W. Jefferson St.
Springfield, IL
217/785-1455
Mark.Amerson@illinois.gov

For more information about the Chicago VFC-Plus program (only providers in the City of Chicago) contact:

Marcia Levin
Chicago Department of Public Health
2160 W. Ogden Ave.
Chicago, IL 60612
312/746-6050
levin_marcia@cdph.org