In response to the announcement of a substantial decline in childhood immunization coverage rates for 2002, a Governor-appointed task force examined the information available on the immunization system in Kansas and attempted to identify possible solutions. The Immunize Kansas Kids steering committee was formed to expand that work into a comprehensive intervention including longer-term actions. This unique partnership includes the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Kansas Health Institute and numerous stakeholder organizations. With financial support from the Kansas Health Foundation, the steering committee is working toward the goal of protecting every Kansas child from vaccine-preventable diseases.
This report, which was presented to the steering committee at their October 2006 meeting, analyzes the financing of childhood immunizations in Kansas, including sources of funding, costs, reimbursement, and insurance coverage. It concludes the current level of expenditures on this series is sufficient, or close to sufficient, to meet the goal, but the system of financing immunizations, along with other factors, contributes to the state”s lower than desired immunization rate.