My state, Pennsylvania, announced eligibility for everyone in the over-65 class before adequate supplies of the vaccine were available. The Pennsylvania Department of Health's website informs us: "Supplies are extremely limited, so we must prioritize who gets vaccinated first — starting with those most at risk."
But the state has thrown open the doors to everyone over 65, healthy or not. Primary care physicians are not involved in the selection process. Instead, the state delegated scheduling decisions to pharmacies and hospitals. There is no involvement by anyone who understands my medical condition, and no central point of contact for scheduling. Since the vaccine is scarce, why not allow my doctor to prioritize her patients within the over-65 class?
I've had to spend many hours on web searches at the local pharmacy and hospital level, only to find no appointments available for months. By sheer luck, my wife finally found an appointment in another county over an hour away. But that's only because we're retired and able to devote days to searching for a provider.
It seems to me that Britain and Israel are executing the vaccination process much more effectively. In Britain's case, perhaps that's because there is already a nationwide network in place, thanks to what some call "socialized medicine." Israel appears to have something similar.
Our decentralized, for-profit health care system is lagging behind in getting the job done. This is a complex policy issue, but perhaps it's time for a change. "Medicare for all"... perhaps Bernie Sanders is onto something there.
