Parents Face Changes Concerning School Vaccinations
By: Brendaliss Gonzalez
Updated: August 23, 2012
While this may be painful, the latest policy changes for vaccinations around Texas just might be worse.
"I was a little shocked at the price," said Cynthia Carr.
Now parents like Carr have to pay upfront for every vaccine her child receives at the health department.
The new rules only allow children whose insurance docent include immunizations to receive vaccines with just a co-pay fee.
"Hopefully it wont be too much of a hassle we have to file the paperwork on the insurance to try to get reimbursed," said Carr.
Health department officials say they have a private stock parents can purchase.
However it can add up- the vaccine for the chicken pox alone costs $120.
"For the most part if the children have a family practice doctor or an internal medicine doctor they usually are sent here to have the vaccinations," said Kay Durilla, head nurse at the Taylor Co. Health Dept.
It's been news to many parents around the Big Country who normally head to the health department instead of going to their regular doctor.
"It was something we had to get done so we were kind of forced into it so we had to do it," said Carr.
Kids are required to have all the necessary vaccines before heading to school.
However, there is an exception.
Parents can sign a waiver, but its not so simple and it may be too late.
"That requires them sending for the information from the state of Texas, reading that information form and filling it out and having that notarized by a notary public and then sending it back to the state and if they're going to start school on Monday they don't have time to do it," said Durilla.
The news has been a bit of a sting for parents, but like their kids they'll just have to brave it out.
"It's just part of being a mom, its just something you have to do," said Candice Thompson who took her son to get his vaccines.
Nurses at the health department say they've been seeing over one hundred patients a day during the past week.
These vaccines are mandatory and students will be sent home on that first day if they don't have them.
The only exception is if they have a waiver form approved by the state of Texas.
Personnel at the health dept. say that most private insurers do cover the costs for vaccines-- but parents will have to file paperwork for compensation themselves.
"I was a little shocked at the price," said Cynthia Carr.
Now parents like Carr have to pay upfront for every vaccine her child receives at the health department.
The new rules only allow children whose insurance docent include immunizations to receive vaccines with just a co-pay fee.
"Hopefully it wont be too much of a hassle we have to file the paperwork on the insurance to try to get reimbursed," said Carr.
Health department officials say they have a private stock parents can purchase.
However it can add up- the vaccine for the chicken pox alone costs $120.
"For the most part if the children have a family practice doctor or an internal medicine doctor they usually are sent here to have the vaccinations," said Kay Durilla, head nurse at the Taylor Co. Health Dept.
It's been news to many parents around the Big Country who normally head to the health department instead of going to their regular doctor.
"It was something we had to get done so we were kind of forced into it so we had to do it," said Carr.
Kids are required to have all the necessary vaccines before heading to school.
However, there is an exception.
Parents can sign a waiver, but its not so simple and it may be too late.
"That requires them sending for the information from the state of Texas, reading that information form and filling it out and having that notarized by a notary public and then sending it back to the state and if they're going to start school on Monday they don't have time to do it," said Durilla.
The news has been a bit of a sting for parents, but like their kids they'll just have to brave it out.
"It's just part of being a mom, its just something you have to do," said Candice Thompson who took her son to get his vaccines.
Nurses at the health department say they've been seeing over one hundred patients a day during the past week.
These vaccines are mandatory and students will be sent home on that first day if they don't have them.
The only exception is if they have a waiver form approved by the state of Texas.
Personnel at the health dept. say that most private insurers do cover the costs for vaccines-- but parents will have to file paperwork for compensation themselves.
