Research from the National Committee for Quality Assurance shows that the number of children receiving vaccinations is declining. However, there appears to be a disparity between vaccination rates and the type of insurance coverage a child has.

Children who were covered through an individual health insurance plan or private company were less likely to receive vaccinations than those who are on Medicaid. The NCQA says vaccination rates in those children decreased by 4 percent compared to those with commercial plans last year.

NCQA president Margaret O'Kane says vaccines can provide children with important protection against many diseases.

"The drop in childhood vaccinations is disturbing because parents are rejecting valuable treatment based on misinformation," says O'Kane. "All of us in healthcare need to work together to get better information to the public."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it's important for children to receive vaccinations because their immune systems may not be strong enough to fight off some diseases. Furthermore, the CDC says immunizations help slow down and even prevent outbreaks of serious diseases.

NCQA asserts that the decline in vaccination rate may have something to do with parents believing the unproven idea that there is a relationship between vaccinations and autism in children.