Loving our health care system

[boatgeek]

Thank the heavens that we don't have a socialist health care system that would make us wait for care. Because imagine how long a line I'd have to wait in to get H1N1 vaccine for two kids. Certainly more than the two hours today and perhaps some of L's time tomorrow

Comments

[boatgeek]

I was thinking more quantity of vaccine than distribution, although the specific problem I have here is one of distribution. I'm not sure that you can label the problem to be one of government, though. King County publicized the fact of vaccine availability at this particular pharmacy widely (hence the line). On the other hand, our pediatrician didn't alert us at all, so we missed the time when vaccine was available then. L had called two days before, and yet they said they had no info.

I would be totally OK with a distribution system whereby King County/WA/feds say that there will be mass vaccinations at X places and times, call this number or go online for a registration. I understand that there will be a line, but that's OK if you have some assurance that they have the doses. In this case, the pharmacy officials didn't come out to say that they had X number of doses available (~100 less than the number of people in line) until we had been waiting for an hour and a half. I would have understood if they came out through the line and gave numbered tickets to eligible people and cut off anyone past the number of doses they have.

Oddly, my PCP doesn't do vaccinations in house, because they lose money at the reimbursement rates insurance companies pay. They directed me to a pharmacy, even writing me a prescription. Perhaps if I had had the prescription on me, there would have been better coverage. That is exactly the kind of idiocy that pisses me off about the health care system. Not that I have to go to the cheapest place to deliver care, but that I have to pay up front for a routine and common preventative treatment.

[urox]

The vaccine quantity shortage is because it didn't grow as fast as they predicted (from what I hear).

Places aren't advertising that they have them specifically because of the shortage.

The lines were hours long at the Santa Clara Fair Grounds down here. We called our pediatrician and found out when they had them and when they'll be giving them.

[anemone]

Well, the quantity problem was no one's fault, though without government action, it would probably be worse.

But the distribution is undoubtedly a government problem. Why is it that New York had no drug stores distributing the vaccine, and New Jersey does? Why is it that that WA got half as many doses as NY despite having 1/9th the population?

I'm in the first high-risk group everyone mentions, and I don't know where to get the vaccine, even now. My OB's office thinks next week, but they've been being told that for a month.

The fact that your PCP doesn't do vaccinations is very weird, though around here, I don't think there are pharmacies doing tetanus vaccinations.