The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommend for students 16 to 18 years old get a meningococcal booster before their 18th birthday.

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Immunization Branch recommends all students 16 to 18 years old get the meningococcal vaccine as soon as it is medically recommended, preferably by August 1, 2012.

• Students with private insurance may get the vaccine from their private provider. Insurance coverage is changing and plans with high co-payments and deductibles for other services may cover the cost of recommended vaccines. Please check with your insurance provider to see if your plan covers the cost of the vaccine.
• Students 18 years old and younger who do not have private insurance can check with their provider or local health department to see if they meet the Texas Vaccine for Children (TVFC) program eligibility criteria. If so, they can receive a free vaccination (there may be a nominal administration fee).

A student, 18 or younger, who meets at least one of the following criteria, is eligible to receive TVFC vaccine from any TVFC-enrolled provider:

• Medicaid eligible: A child who is eligible for the Medicaid program
• Uninsured: A child who has no health insurance coverage
• American Indian or Alaskan Native
• Underinsured
  • A child who has commercial (private) health insurance, but coverage does not include vaccines; or
  • a child whose insurance covers only selected vaccines (TVFC-eligible for non-covered vaccines only); or
  • a child whose insurance caps vaccine coverage at a certain amount. Once that coverage amount is reached, the child is categorized as underinsured.
• Enrolled in CHIP

For more information on the TVFC program please call the Texas Immunization Information Line at 1-800-252-9152.

Insurance coverage is changing and now many insurance plans may cover the cost of the vaccine. Those students who are 19 to 25 years old may still be covered under their parents’ insurance plan. Please check with your insurance provider to see if your plan covers the cost of the vaccine.

• A student can get the vaccine from his or her private provider.
• A student can also get it from a community vaccinator, such as an independent pharmacy, a mini-clinic, retail pharmacy, or health-care center. There will be a cost for the vaccine that the insurance may or may not pay.
• Colleges with student health centers may also have the vaccine. Please check with your college or university to see if they have vaccine.

The average cost of the vaccine itself is over $100.00 (could possibly range from $100 to $140). Individual health-care providers may also charge a fee for administering the vaccine. These charges will vary by provider.