Despite the availability of Medicaid benefits and Vaccines for Children (VFC) vaccine in the United States, immunization rates for children and pregnant women in poverty or with Medicaid remain lower than those above the poverty line or with private insurance.

The purpose of this funding announcement

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is to help CDC address and reduce income-based disparities in immunization rates.

Awardee collaboration with Medicaid programs in states can help CDC better understand barriers to immunization for children and pregnant women with Medicaid coverage and improve immunization rates.

Such collaborations by awardee(s) also can support state immunization programs and Medicaid programs to use mutual resources to improve sustainability of immunization information systems.

Awardee(s) will communicate national immunization program goals to state Medicaid program leadership, identify and share best practices among Medicaid programs, and engage Medicaid program leadership to identify solutions to immunization gaps.

Awardee(s) will also assist CDC and state immunization leaders to better understand how to work effectively with Medicaid leadership in states, and make progress toward immunization program goals by identifying shared priorities and strategies.