Keeping up with routine vaccination during COVID-19: Well-child visits and vaccinations are essential services

In May 2020, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report that showed a drop in routine childhood vaccinations as a result of COVID-19; a result of stay at home orders and concerns about infection during well-child visits. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC recommend the continuation of routine childhood vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, noting they are essential services.

 

 

To encourage well-visits and vaccinations, here are some extra steps you can take, if you haven’t already, to make visits as safe as possible for both patients and staff. They include:

• Scheduling sick visits and well-child visits during different times of the day.
• Asking patients to remain outside until it’s time for their appointment to reduce the number of people in waiting rooms.
• Offering sick visits and well-child visits in different locations.

 

It’s important to identify those children who have missed immunizations and well-child visits to schedule these essential in-person appointments. To help, the CDC has published vaccine catch-up guidance on their website.

 

Helpful information for keeping babies and children healthy

Childhood Immunization Schedule (CIS) HEDIS® measures require that all children are immunized by the age of two:

• Four DTaP (diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis)
• Three IPV (polio)
• One MMR (measles, mumps, rubella)
• Three HiB (H influenza type B)
• Three HepB (hepatitis B)
• One VZV (chicken pox)
• Four PCV (pneumococcal conjugate)
• One HepA (hepatitis A)
• Two or Three RV (rotavirus)
• Two Influenza (flu)

 

Billing codes:

• MMR CPT: 90707, 90710 ICD-10-CM: B05.0-4, B05.81, B05.89, B05.9
• Mumps ICD-10-CM: B26.0-3, B26.81-85, B26.89, B26.9
• Rubella ICD-10-CM: B06.00-02, B06.09, B06.81-82, B06.89, B06.9
• Rubella CPT: 90706
• Rubella antibody CPT: 86762
• Hepatitis A (Hep A) CPT: 90633 ICD-10-CM: B15.0, B15.9
• Influenza CPT: 90655, 90657, 90661, 90662, 90673, 90685, 90686, 90687, 90688, 90689
• HCPCS: G0008
• Rotavirus vaccine (RV) CPT: 90681 (two-dose) and 90680 (three-dose)

 

Children should be fully immunized by 13 years of age to meet the Immunization for Adolescents (IMA) HEDIS® measure:

• 1 Meningococcal vaccine (MCV) injection between 11 to 13 years of age
• 1 Tetanus, diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap/Td) between
    10 to 13 years of age
• 2 or 3 HPV vaccines between 9 to 13 years of age

 

Billing Codes:

• Meningococcal CPT: 90734
• Tdap CPT: 90715
• HPV CPT: 90649, 90650, 90651

 

HEDIS® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

 

For a complete list of HEDIS® measures, descriptions and coding tips, visit Anthem.com.

 

 

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