lizzyq

As we hope that are nearing the end of the visa application process I am looking in more detail at the required vaccinations for school in PA.

DTP/DTaP, polio & MMR: Appear to be essentially the same in UK and US so no problem there.

Varicella: one boy has had chicken pox, the other hasn't - so that vaccination will have to wait until we get to the US, I guess.

Hep B: should be able to start getting that done at our GP and complete in the US as necessary.

My question is really on this final one:
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV): Is this the same as the UK Meningitis C vaccination?

Any insights gratefully received.

BunnyGirl

I'm not sure about the meningitis one, I also need to check that. But just double check the ones I highlighted above. Obviously it'll vary by state but in Texas my son needs an extra dose of each of those to be compliant.

lizzyq

I know one will need a booster of DTP to be compliant - the other has been "done" at school, but it is a UK standard vaccine, so should be no problem to sort out at the GP.

The local school district has a flyer online detailing exactly what jabs are required, and when we visited the school last month the admissions lady told us that so long as the boys had received the first dose of the "missing" vaccines, they would be able to start school on probation until all the vaccines had been administered.

BunnyGirl

Yep, that's the same with us In Texas they apparently 'review' your vaccination status every 30 days until you're compliant. I'm going to try and get the boosters done before we go, it's just the HepB that I think will need completing in the US.

BunnyGirl

Ok, I've done some googling and it looks the the UK's MenC vaccine only protects against the C strain of meningitis, whereas the US's MCV4 vaccine protects against all 4 strains.

As a layman I'd say that your children will need the MCV4 but I'm happy to be corrected. Why not wait until you're in the US and go and have a chat with a paediatrician, armed with your vaccination records

lizzyq

Another question - how much do vaccinations typically cost if not covered by health insurance? I understand there could be a co-pay to consider too.

Weeze

That's incredibly difficult to answer. I'm not sure why essential vaccines wouldn't be covered on insurance if you have it. Or do you mean what would you actually have to pay for the vaccines with your insurance? You might have to pay a co-pay depending on your policy. Ours is 20% but yours might not be. You might have a fixed amount you have to pay before your co-pay kicks in. Some of my kids shots were totally free even though I should have paid a co-pay. I think that's state specific though. If not covered by insurance at all the costs can vary dramatically between places. Some grocery stores have pharmacies that offer specials.

For us it was easier to get the shots here. A lot of it came down to what our pediatrician thought of the vaccinations they had already received. Some were repeated because the UK version of the vaccine wasn't as thorough as the US ones.

lizzyq

Thank you Weeze. It is very hard trying to get a feel for which is the best way to go about this. I hadn't considered the possibility of local pharmacies as an option, so I will look into that too.

sir_eccles

I think under the ACA vaccines for children must be fully covered. They can get pretty expensive if you are paying cash if you are uninsured. Look for charity vaccine clinics if you are desparate also haggle.

Also please consider adult pertussis booster shots for yourself.

Weeze

The medical thing can be totally overwhelming. If you have good health insurance then check out pediatricians in your new area that use your insurance. Then check out their reviews online. That should help you pick a pediatrician you like and go from there. I can't think of anyone I know who successfully got all the shots dealt with prior to moving. Everyone either needed additional shots or to go down the exemption route for their kids. I'm sure some people must have managed it, just I haven't met them.

I'll second Sir E's advice. Whooping cough is no joke here at the moment. Both me and Mr Weeze got ours redone.

lizzyq

I shall add boosters for all of us to the list of "things to do before moving"

steveq

Trouble is we have a complete needle-phobic son too, so we need to get everything done while he's sedated....

jibsymalone

I seem to remember with my daughter, it was actually cheaper for us to pay cash for the vaccines then the co-pay would have been had they filed them through the insurance! Show how a lot of the time it is one price for cash payers and a different, usually inflated, price if being submitted through the insurance.

petitefrancaise

related anecdote..

My local county health services will review your health records (no matter what the language!) and tell you what you need to get done to get the children into school,they will transcribe the records into standard US format for you to give to the school nurse. No charge for this service and it has been invaluable for us.

They will also administer all necessary vaccines for $10 if you are uninsured or underinsured. So, if you're concerned about cost you might enquire at your local county health services.

We have a co-pay for most doctor's appointments but these vaccines are covered 100% and no co-pay so it's worth checking your policy.

sir_eccles

Further to my earlier post, preventative vaccines in-network should be available at no cost.

http://www.hhs.gov/healthcare/facts/...unization.html