Official Site of The State of New Jersey
The Vaccines for Children (VFC) program helps provide vaccines at no cost to eligible children through health care providers enrolled in the program. This helps ensure that all children have a better chance of getting their recommended vaccinations on schedule. These vaccines protect babies, young children, and adolescents from these diseases .
Children ages 18 years or younger who meet at least one of the following requirements:
- Uninsured
- Underinsured
- Medicaid-eligible
- American Indian or Alaska Native
What does it mean to be "underinsured"?
Underinsured means that you have insurance, but the insurance policy:
- Doesn't cover any vaccines.
- Doesn't cover certain recommended vaccines .
Underinsured children are eligible to receive vaccines only at Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs). FQHCs deliver high quality health care to all people regardless of their ability to pay.
Is there a cost?
There is no charge for vaccines given by VFC providers to eligible children. Health care providers may charge other fees related to the visit, such as:
- Giving a shot (vaccine administration fee)*.
- Office visit.
- Non-vaccine services, like an eye exam or blood test.
*Health care providers cannot refuse to vaccinate your child if you are unable to pay the vaccine administration fee.
Where can eligible children get vaccinated?
Ask your health care provider if they are a VFC provider. In New Jersey, there are over 750 health care providers enrolled in the VFC program.
If you do not have a health care provider, reach out to your local health department, and see if they’re a VFC provider.
Vaccines for Children Program Q&A
All routinely recommended vaccines are free through the VFC program. Doctors can charge a fee of up to $24.23 for giving the vaccine. However, the doctor cannot refuse to vaccinate your child if you are unable to pay this fee.
There are many single and combination vaccines that are licensed in the US and that protect children against preventable diseases. The vaccines available through the VFC are determined by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). VFC covers any vaccines included in the pediatric immunization schedules:
- Parent version of recommended immunizations for children from birth through 6 years old [2 pages]
- Parent version of recommended immunizations for children from 7 through 18 years old [2 pages]
Diseases that are preventable by recommended childhood vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) include the following. Each disease is briefly described on the 2nd page of the above linked documents.
- Dengue
- Diphtheria
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)
- Hepatitis A
- Hepatitis B
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
- Influenza (flu)
- COVID-19
- RSV
- Measles
- Meningococcal
- Mumps
- Pertussis (whooping cough)
- Pneumococcal
- Polio
- Rotavirus
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Tetanus (lockjaw)
- Varicella (chickenpox)
The CDC Vaccines and Immunizations website provides information about vaccines, including precautions and contraindications for immunization, and vaccine-preventable diseases.
You can visit the CDC Catch Up schedule for additional information.
