NIAM_LogoNational Immunization Awareness Month is celebrated each year in August. The purpose of NIAM is to focus the attention of the public on the importance of immunizations for all ages. Immunizations have significantly reduced the incidence of many serious infectious diseases, however, vaccination rates for some diseases are not meeting national public health goals.

At this time of year the priority of many parents is to get any immunizations their children may need before they go back to school. The Brownwood/Brown County Health Department would like to take this opportunity to remind parents of the immunization services available at BBCHD. Children who qualify for the Texas Vaccines for Children program can get all their back to school vaccines at the health department. The child must meet one of the following criteria in order to qualify for the state vaccines:

  • the child must be Medicaid eligible
  • the child must have CHIPS (currently able to bill Superior CHIPS only; Molina CHIPS pending)
  • the child must be Alaskan Native or American Indian
  • the child must be uninsured, or
  • the child must be underinsured (the child has insurance that does not pay for vaccines), or the child has insurance that pays only for certain vaccines, or the child has insurance that caps vaccine payments at a certain amount;  in any of these cases the child is eligible only for the vaccines that the insurance does not pay for.

The following privately purchased vaccines are available to children who have private insurance:

  • TDaP (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis)        $45.00
  • MCV4 (meningococcal)                          $100.00
  • Hepatitis A                                             $45.00
  • Polio                                                      $40.00
  • DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)        $45.00
  • MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)             $60.00
  • Varicella (chickenpox)                             $95.00

The Brownwood/Brown County Health Department is not currently able to bill private insurance. Any private vaccine that is given must be paid for at the time it is given and the health department will provide the insurance coding information to the parent or guardian so they can file for reimbursement from their insurance company.

During the month of August the Health Department wants to highlight the need for vaccines across all age groups. Each week in August we will be focusing on a different age group and the vaccines required or recommended for that group.

The week of August 2-8 the focus on immunizations will be for young children from birth to age 6. Any child age 6 or under who comes in for vaccines during the week of August 2-8 will receive a free gift.

The goal of the health department is to educate the public about the importance of being vaccinated in order to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. Many of these diseases are still endemic in foreign countries, and are just a plane ride away.

For answers to questions about vaccines, vaccine-preventable diseases and eligibility criteria please call the Brownwood/Brown County Health Department at 325-646-0554.