Clelia Pezzi1, Audrey McCulloch1, Heesoo Joo1, Jennifer Cochran2, Laura Smock2, Ellen Frerich3, Blain Mamo3, Kailey Urban3, Stephen Hughes4, Colleen Payton5, Kevin Scott5, Brian Maskery1, Deborah Lee6. 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Atlanta, GA, United States. 2. Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Global Populations and Infectious Disease Prevention, Boston, MA, United States. 3. Minnesota Department of Health, Saint Paul, MN, United States. 4. New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY, United States. 5. Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States. 6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Global Migration and Quarantine, Atlanta, GA, United States. Electronic address: DLee1@cdc.gov.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Newly arrived refugees are offered vaccinations during domestic medical examinations. Vaccination practices and costs for refugees have not been described with recent implementation of the overseas Vaccination Program for U.S.-bound Refugees (VPR). We describe refugee vaccination during the domestic medical examination and the estimated vaccination costs from the US government perspective in selected U.S. clinics. METHODS: Site-specific vaccination processes and costs were collected from 16 clinics by refugee health partners in three states and one private academic institution. Vaccination costs were estimated from the U.S. Vaccines for Children Program and Medicaid reimbursement rates during fiscal year 2015. RESULTS: All clinics reviewed overseas vaccination records before vaccinating, but all records were not transferred into state immunization systems. Average vaccination costs per refugee varied from $120 to $211 by site. The total average cost of domestic vaccination was 15% less among refugees arriving from VPR- vs. nonVPR-participating countries during a single domestic visit. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that immunization practices and costs vary between clinics, and that clinics adapted their vaccination practices to accommodate VPR doses, yielding potential cost savings. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
BACKGROUND: Newly arrived refugees are offered vaccinations during domestic medical examinations. Vaccination practices and costs for refugees have not been described with recent implementation of the overseas Vaccination Program for U.S.-bound Refugees (VPR). We describe refugee vaccination during the domestic medical examination and the estimated vaccination costs from the US government perspective in selected U.S. clinics. METHODS: Site-specific vaccination processes and costs were collected from 16 clinics by refugee health partners in three states and one private academic institution. Vaccination costs were estimated from the U.S. Vaccines for Children Program and Medicaid reimbursement rates during fiscal year 2015. RESULTS: All clinics reviewed overseas vaccination records before vaccinating, but all records were not transferred into state immunization systems. Average vaccination costs per refugee varied from $120 to $211 by site. The total average cost of domestic vaccination was 15% less among refugees arriving from VPR- vs. nonVPR-participating countries during a single domestic visit. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that immunization practices and costs vary between clinics, and that clinics adapted their vaccination practices to accommodate VPR doses, yielding potential cost savings. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Authors: Kenji Adachi; Margaret S Coleman; Christopher de la Motte Hurst; Monica L Vargas; Alawode Oladele; Michelle S Weinberg Journal: Vaccine Date: 2012-08-19 Impact factor: 3.641
Authors: Fangjun Zhou; Abigail Shefer; Jay Wenger; Mark Messonnier; Li Yan Wang; Adriana Lopez; Matthew Moore; Trudy V Murphy; Margaret Cortese; Lance Rodewald Journal: Pediatrics Date: 2014-03-03 Impact factor: 7.124