317 Vaccines for Adults (VFA) Program
The North Carolina Immunization Program (NCIP) receives limited doses of adult vaccine funding, therefore prioritization is given to select adult populations who are uninsured or underinsured served at LHDs, enrolled FQHCs, and designated adult providers through the 317 Vaccines for Adults (VFA) Program.
Providers interested in participating can apply to become a 317 VFA Provider, using our step-by-step guide through the application process. Visit the NCIP Provider Enrollment and Responsibilities page for detailed information about provider responsibilities.
Mission
The mission of the NC 317 Vaccines for Adults Program is to prevent disease, disability and death from vaccine-preventable diseases by:
- Providing access to vaccines
- Supporting emergency response efforts
- Collaborating with immunization partners across the state
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the 317 VFA Program, including eligibility, enrollment and vaccine distribution.
For all state-supplied vaccine, providers should use this coverage criteria.
Need help? Contact the NCIR Help Desk at 1-877-USE-NCIR (1-877-873-6247) or email ncirhelp@dhhs.nc.gov.
General Information
Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act authorizes the federal purchase of vaccines to vaccinate uninsured or underinsured adults and children not covered by the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program. Over its 50-year history, 317-purchased vaccine has been directed towards meeting the needs of priority populations; most recently this has been uninsured adults as well as a few other select patient populations (i.e., HepB birth dose). 317 vaccines are part of the “State Supply” vaccines provided via the NCIP.
Section 317 of the Public Health Service Act authorizes the federal purchase of vaccines to vaccinate children, adolescents and adults. Over its 50-year history, 317-purchased vaccine has been directed towards meeting the needs of priority populations; most recently this has been uninsured adults as well as a few other select patient populations (i.e., HepB birth dose). 317 vaccines are part of the “State Supply” vaccines provided via the NCIP.
What is the “State Supply”?
There are two (2) components of the "State Supply" program.
- Vaccines for Children (VFC) - Provides no cost vaccines to eligible children from birth through age 18 in compliance with recommendations made by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). This includes children who are uninsured, underinsured, Medicaid eligible, and American Indian or Alaska Native.
- 317 VFA - Supports immunization of uninsured and underinsured adults as well as a few other select patient populations outlined in the coverage criteria.
No. At this time, 317 VFA vaccines will not be allocated. Funding for 317 VFA vaccines is limited. Providers should order the minimum quantity needed for the month. Placing smaller orders more frequently helps reduce waste and ensures a sufficient supply.
Available Vaccines
Refer to the coverage criteria for the most recent list of vaccines available through 317 VFA funding. 317 VFA vaccine availability may change due to the funding, and this will be reflected in the coverage criteria.
Inventory and Ordering
If you entered a comment in the order section of NCIR when placing your order noting the order is for 317 VFA adults and the number of doses, then your order is 317 VFA. Additionally, the packing slip in the shipment will indicate 317 VFA.
It depends. The 317 VFA inventory will automatically be accepted into the main site. It will be combined with existing VFC inventory when the lot number and expiration date are the same. If the 317 VFA vaccine is a unique lot, providers can update the funding source to 317 VFA (“V”) themselves; otherwise, the NCIP Help Desk must assist in separating out the 317 VFA doses. Additionally, providers can opt to create a subsite to separate 317 VFA vaccines for virtual stock separation. Any Bridge Access Program (BAP) subsites should be inactivated and not reused. If a BAP subsite was reactivated, a new subsite must be created and BAP site inactivated. Providers who wish to utilize subsites and also participate in data exchange should contact the Data Exchange Help Desk for guidance. All 317 VFA vaccines should be physically labeled as “317 VFA” and stored separately from VFC and privately purchased vaccines.
317 VFA vaccines can be returned via the North Carolina Immunization Registry (NCIR) using the same process as VFC vaccines. Refer to the NCIR Quick Reference Guide for more information.
No. Borrowing is not allowed using 317 VFA stock.
Yes. Providers utilizing data exchange, will need to separate the inventory between VFC and 317 VFA in lot manager.
No. Providers must designate upon ordering which doses are VFC and which doses are 317 VFA. Providers cannot request below the minimum order quantity.
Eligibility and Patient Criteria
Yes. If only uninsured adults 19 years and older are being served, all doses would be 317 VFA, unless otherwise specified in the coverage criteria. All orders must include a comment in the “Updates to Vaccine Delivery Hours/Special Instructions” box indicating that the entire order is for 317 VFA use. Orders submitted without comments are assumed to be VFC orders, which can only be used on VFC-eligible patients.
Underinsured adults are defined as adults who have health insurance, but insurance does not cover any vaccines, adults who have health insurance, but insurance covers only selected vaccines, or adults who have health insurance, but insurance does not provide first-dollar coverage for vaccines.
First-dollar coverage includes copays, coinsurance, or deductibles. This means that copays, coinsurance, or deductibles will not apply for the administration of any ACIP-recommended 317 VFA vaccines.
Medicare Part B (without Part D coverage) beneficiary receiving any ACIP-recommended vaccine other than influenza, COVID-19, pneumococcal, or hepatitis B is considered underinsured.
The federal government determines patient eligibility for doses funded through each program. Doses funded through the VFC program may only be administered to VFC-eligible patients. Doses funded with 317 VFA funds may only be administered to 317-eligible patients as noted in the coverage criteria.
Technical Considerations and Additional Processes
No. At this time, VFC-enrolled LHDs, FQHCs, or RHCs are eligible to order 317 VFA vaccines without an additional application. When placing an order, list the number of adult doses needed in the note section of the NCIR order screen. When the vaccines arrive, they should be labeled as “317 VFA” and stored separately from VFC and private stock.
No. Providers utilizing data exchange, will need to separate the inventory between VFC and 317 VFA in lot manager.
Contact the NCIR Help Desk at least three months before your vaccine expires. We will facilitate transferring the vaccine to other clinics enrolled in the program. We recommend providers order only a 4-to-6-week supply (or the minimum order quantity) at a time to help avoid this scenario.
Yes, however, the clinic must be an enrolled LHD, FQHC, RHC, or participating 317 VFA provider. You must inform the receiving site that the doses are 317 VFA doses and can only be used for eligible adult populations. Vaccine transfers should not be a routine practice.
This page was last modified on 02/16/2026