Do You Have Your Child’s Immunization Record? Is it Updated? Submitted by Amerigroup Marynad Many families have recently gone through the process of preparing to send their children to school for the first time or enrolling their children in a new school. This has likely involved finding out which vaccines are required for children to attend school, and even having to present proof of immunization. Have you ever wondered what happens if a child’s immunization record is lost or if vaccines weren’t updated on an immunization card? How can
families update records if a child was immunized by multiple doctors/clinics, in different states or in another country? What do they do if they are unsure if a child has all required vaccines? What are the required vaccines for each grade level? Many families are diligent about keeping updated copies of a child’s immunization record and consulting their doctors for guidance on vaccines, but there are many situations that can leave families scrambling to track down and update records. Fortunately, Maryland is one of a handful of states that has made immunization records available to
residents online at no cost. Families can simply visit MD.MyIR.net to register for access to records. Users of this portal can view and print official copies of immunization records that have been digitally filed in Maryland, without having to request them from healthcare providers. However, there may be instances where the online records are not complete or updated. Vaccines may have been administered in states that do not offer online records, or in doctor’s offices/clinics that do no have digital filing capabilities. In these cases, families can get help from a child’s pediatrician to locate or update records. If a child
doesn’t have a primary care provider, it might be best to immediately get established with one and ask the doctor’s office for help to track down immunization records. Doctor’s offices have experience finding immunization information from other doctor’s offices, from various databases and even from antibody tests if necessary, so their help can save a family a lot of time and frustration. Doctors can also advise which vaccines are needed and when. When immunization records cannot be found, doctors can advise if it is better to test for antibodies or revaccinate. Doctors can even answer questions about required vaccines and recommend vaccines for certain risk factors, so getting established with a primary care doctor/pediatrician – if families don’t already have one – should be a top priority. Amerigroup Maryland members who need help getting established with a doctor or pediatrician can always turn to Amerigroup for help by calling Member Services at 1-800-600-4441 (TTY 711) or vis-
iting www.myamerigroup.com/md. Families who would like to learn more about required vaccines and immunization records can access several resources for information: • Required and recommended vaccines by age: https://www.cdc. gov/vaccines/parents/by-age/index. html • Vaccines required by the state of Maryland for the 2022 – 2023 school year: https://bit.ly/3yMMTdb • General information about finding and updating vaccine records: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/records/find-records. html • Online vaccination records: https://myirmobile.com/register/ • Finding a doctor or pediatrician in Amerigroup Maryland’s provider network: https://www. myamerigroup.com/md/care/finda-doctor.html • Help and resources offered by Amerigroup Maryland: https:// www.myamerigroup.com/md/ home.html WI
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