Changes to the way the Government Supports Immunisation for Children

The Government is introducing reforms to Australia's childhood immunisation arrangements. These changes mean that as of:

1 July 2012

• Families will be required to meet immunisation requirements to receive the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement for the financial years that the child turns one, two and five years of age. This will replace the Maternity Immunisation Allowance (MIA) which will cease from 1 July 2012. To explain what this change means for your patients, a question and answer resources has been developed and can be accessed through the Department of Human Services website, here.
• A new immunisation check will be introduced for one year olds to supplement the existing focus on immunisation at two and five years of age from 1 July 2012.

1 July 2013

• The meningococcal C, pneumococcal and varicella ('chickenpox') vaccines will be introduced in the list of immunisations that are needed for a child to be considered fully immunised from 1 July 2013. This is in addition to the current DTP, MMR, Hib, Polio and Hep B.
• A combination vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella ('chickenpox') for children aged 18 months will be added to the National Immunisation Program Schedule from 1 July 2013.

Changes to the National Immunisation Schedule

A new combination vaccine MMRV for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella ('chickenpox') for children aged 18 months will be added to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule from 1 July 2013. The addition of MMRV to the NIP will replace individual doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (currently scheduled for 4 year olds) and the chickenpox vaccine (currently scheduled for 18 month olds).

This will reduce by one the total number of injections currently provided as part of the program. Children will be protected against measles, mumps and rubella 2.5 years earlier than under the existing schedule.

The meningococcal C, pneumococcal and varicella ('chickenpox') vaccines are currently listed on the National Immunisation Program schedule. These vaccines will be added to the list of immunisation that children need to receive to be assess as fully immunised. The expansion of the definition of "fully immunised" will reinforce the importance of these vaccines by linking them to payments to families and immunisation providers.

How will these changes affect patients children if they have already had their 18 month vaccination varicella ("chickenpox"), but hasn't had their 4 year old immunisation of MMR yet?

Children who have already received their 18 month vaccination will still be immunised for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) at 4 years of age. This 4 year MMR schedule point will remain until all children aged 18 months and 4 years of age as at 1 July 2013 when the new MMRV combination vaccine is introduced, reach the age of 4 years, that is 31 December 2015.

What do the changes mean for immunisation providers?

Information will be provided to immunisation providers to raise awareness of the link between the Family Tax Benefit A supplement and immunisation.

The General Practice Immunisation Incentive (GPII) provides financial incentive to general practices for monitoring, promoting and providing appropriate immunisation services to children under the age of seven years.

The aim of the GPII is to encourage at least 90 per cent of practices to fully immunise at least 90 per cent of children under seven years of age attending their practice. From 1 July 2013, the meningococcal C, pneumococcal and varicella ('chickenpox') vaccines will be added to the list of immunisations that children need to receive to be considered fully immunised, which is linked to payments to providers.

What do families need to do to meet the new immunisation conditions linked to the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement?

Parents need to have had their children fully immunised during the financial years that each child turns one, two and five years of age to obtain the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement for that period.

To meet the immunisation requirements, children will need to be 'fully immunised', be on a recognised immunisation catch up schedule, or have an approved exemption.

The list of vaccines required to be fully immunised

The Family Assistance office will check whether a child is assessed by the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register as being fully Immunised (or have approved exemption) at the end of the financial year when a family's payments are balanced. This happens after parents lodge their tax returns.

In addition to the vaccinations required to receive the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement , there are other important vaccines which are recommended but are not included in the definition of fully immunised for the purpose if accessing the Family Tax Benefit Part A supplement. These include:

• Rotavirus vaccine, which is recommended at specific ages to prevent gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus in infants (a catch up program is not recommended for this vaccine); and
• Additional vaccines (eg influenza and hepatitis A) or booster doses (eg pneumococcal) which are provided free of charge for children with specific medical risks or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in some States/Territories.

For more information on Australia's National Immunisation Program Schedule of recommended vaccines see, www.immunise.health.gov.au

Resources

Pertussis Poster - Click Here
Pertussis Brochure - Click Here
Pertussins Letter to Parents - Click Here
Pertussis Letter to GP - Click Here
Media Release - Stronger Immunisation Incentives (November 2011) - Click Here
Media Release - Protecting Babies from Whooping Cough (November 2011) - Click Here
Strengthening Immunisation for Children Factsheet - Click Here
Frequently Asked Questions - Changes to national Immunisation Schedule and Related Payments - Click Here