Immunization Letter to Parents

Posted: April 15, 2009

Dear Parents,

Idaho’s department of Health and Welfare has provided vaccines for all children ages 0-18 regardless of insurance statues since 1994. Beginning July 1, 2009, Idaho will no longer pay for vaccines for children who have insurance that covers them. In the past, Idaho had covered the vaccine costs and the public was charged an administration fee for the vaccines. During the budget crunch, state funded vaccines were one of the items that Idaho decided to eliminate to cut costs. Idaho will continue to provide vaccines for all children eligible for Medicaid.

One way to save money is to get your child’s immunizations updated before July 1st 2009. After this date the vaccine prices will increase.

Before kindergarten all children need to have 5 DTaP, 4 Polio, 3 Hepatitis B and 2 MMR. Also recommended are 2 Hepatitis A and 2 Varicella if the child has not had the chickenpox disease. At 12 years of age, children need to have an update on their tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (DTaP) and a meningitis vaccine known as Menactra.

  • If you were born after Nov 22, 1991 you did not have to have Hepatitis B for school entry; this affects most juniors and seniors.
  • In April 2005 a law was passed requiring all children who enter kindergarten to have 2 MMR; this affects those children born after September 1st 1999 and later.

Currently these vaccines are provided through your local public Health Department or most physicians’ offices. However, with all of the government changes, it is rumored that some physicians may not be giving immunizations after July 1st 2009. Contact your local physician’s office or Health Department for clinic times and dates.

In addition to having your vaccines up to date, make sure you have been registered in the IRIS program (immunization registry information system). This will allow you to have easy access to your immunization records anywhere in the state of Idaho; regardless whether you are in a doctor’s office, school or needing emergency care. The IRIS system is confidential and only available to health care or schools with a confidential password. You can sign up when you obtain your immunizations.

This information was provided by your local Health Department and your School Nurses, Laurie Stimpson, RN and Shanna Legault, RN.

By: Laurie Stimpson, Registered Nurse, Minidoka School District