Coronavirus COVID-19 - Global Health Pandemic #112

[Gemmie]

This is so not good IMO. For some, yes, but for all, no. WHY are they doing this when simply no longer requiring prescriptions was working!??!??!?!?!?!? I was one whose primary care physician wouldn't recommend/allow a covid vaccine every 6 months, even though I'm over 65. I have since changed who I'm seeing, but I have no idea if they'll think the same way my last physician did and no allow me to be vaccinated. Plus, getting appts can take a LONG time. Just ugh at stupid decisions some individuals make for us ALL.

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is now applying individual-based decision-making to COVID-19 vaccination instead of making routine recommendations on use.

"Informed consent is back," said Acting Director of the CDC and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Jim O’Neill in an HHS press release. "CDC's 2022 blanket recommendation for perpetual COVID-19 boosters deterred health care providers from talking about the risks and benefits of vaccination for the individual patient or parent. That changes today."

Now, all Americans are tasked with consulting with their healthcare providers to decide if they should get a seasonal COVID-19 booster.

All vaccines come with shared deciding making between patients and clinicians, he said. But under the new CDC recommendation, "Vaccinators may require proof of a discussion with a clinical before vaccination. In many states that means getting a prescription with a diagnosis code before a vaccine will be administered. This means that pharmacists, in some states, aren't given the authority to share in decision making."

CDC announces changes to COVID, childhood vaccines, touting 'informed consent'

www.cidrap.umn.edu

Just take me out back and shoot me.

 

[Gemmie]

An uncommon heart-rhythm disorder occurs in nearly 1 in 3 adults with severe long COVID, most of them middle-aged women, Swedish researchers write in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology.

In contrast, the condition affected less than 1% of the Swedish population before the pandemic. POTS causes a rapid heartbeat when standing up after lying down and sometimes at rest and during exercise. Because standing up triggers dizziness, affected patients prefer to sit or lie down (orthostatic intolerance).

Nearly 1 in 3 adults with severe long COVID have rare heart-rhythm disorder, data suggest

www.cidrap.umn.edu

 

[Auntie Cipation]

@Gemmie I think the governors (at least of some states) are issuing blanket prescriptions or directing that any pharmacist may issue a rx for anyone to get a covid vax.

I suppose if your governor isn't on board with this, it might still be a hassle to get them, but hopefully this sidestepping of CDC nonsense will become standard practice. I hope you don't end up having to go out of state to get your regular covid vaxxes! Maybe once you find a dr or pharmacist willing to source the prescription, they can write it as something that auto-renews every three or six months so that you only have to deal with that bit once. Fingers crossed.

 

[Gemmie]

@Gemmie I think the governors (at least of some states) are issuing blanket prescriptions or directing that any pharmacist may issue a rx for anyone to get a covid vax.

I suppose if your governor isn't on board with this, it might still be a hassle to get them, but hopefully this sidestepping of CDC nonsense will become standard practice. I hope you don't end up having to go out of state to get your regular covid vaxxes! Maybe once you find a dr or pharmacist willing to source the prescription, they can write it as something that auto-renews every three or six months so that you only have to deal with that bit once. Fingers crossed.

Thanks, Auntie. Yes, my Gov stepped in on the 18th after the CDC and whoever met. They then allowed pharmacies to give the vaccine without a prescription which is how I got mine last week.

What I posted was today's news, which makes me wonder if that'll change things yet again. Hopefully you're right and things will remain where adults can make out OWN decisions.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

Thanks, Auntie. Yes, my Gov stepped in on the 18th after the CDC and whoever met. They when allowed pharmacies to give the vaccine without a prescription which is how I got mine last week.

What I posted was today's news, which makes me wonder if that'll change things yet again. Hopefully you're right and things will remain where adults can make out OWN decisions.

Thanks, @Gemmie . And please allow me to apologize for repeating questions or comments that we've already covered. As are you probably as well, I'm having multiple COVID/vax conversations in more than one place online, and I'm not good at remembering the details of who said what without going back to review. I was pretty sure you were in a state that would support good science and folks allowed to protect themselves, but I wasn't 100% sure.

(I'll add that I am also personally hopeful that the whole situation with the CDC will not continue for too much longer.)

 

[Teche]

My state requires a doctor’s script for the Covid vaccine. I was able to request an order through the hospital’s My Chart portal. No visit or expense to get a simple order. Having to get a script will be costly for the patient, insurance company and/or Medicare-Medicaid.

 

[Gemmie]

Having to get a script will be costly for the patient, insurance company and/or Medicare-Medicaid.

Can you please explain the part I shortened above? How/why would it be more costly? Just trying to understand.

Thanks, @Teche! (Or anyone that has the answer)

 

[Warwick1991]

Can you please explain the part I shortened above? How/why would it be more costly? Just trying to understand.

Thanks, @Teche! (Or anyone that has the answer)

I think the expense of a physician's office visit for a prescription, along with any associated insurance claim, will result in extra costs. The prescription may result in billable activity, even without an office visit.

In many cases, a patient won't be able to get a prescription without an office visit, so that office visit will incur costs.

 

[Gemmie]

I think the expense of a physician's office visit for a prescription, along with any associated insurance claim, will result in extra costs. The prescription may result in billable activity, even without an office visit.

In many cases, a patient won't be able to get a prescription without an office visit, so that office visit will incur costs.

Thanks for responding. I'm not real versed in insurance claims, etc., as I rarely see a Dr. It's all very foreign to me so this helps me understand.

 

[Auntie Cipation]

In the case where pharmacists are permitted to prescribe the vaccination, that would be ideal because then no office visit would be required.

I may have mentioned that I got my most recent vax from the same pharmacy where I get my other prescriptions, for which I am signed up for text reminders when my renewals are ready. (all my previous covid vaxxes came from either a different pharmacy or from the county public health department, so this was new.)

I hadn't realized that a prescription was formally needed n California for the covid vax, but just before I received it, I got a text "reminder" that a prescription was ready. Of course I had seen no doctor about this, merely had made an appointment at the pharmacy for the vax. So it appears they had figured out how to process it as a prescription in order to meet the requirement.

 

[303gmf]

Grateful I went to my local health department yesterday, no appointment needed

Sore arm the only effects!

 

[Lilibet]

What I posted was today's news, which makes me wonder if that'll change things yet again.

<modsnip> ... The vax situation may not be at the top of her list, so here’s hoping nothing changes.

 

[Betty P]

This is so not good IMO. For some, yes, but for all, no. WHY are they doing this when simply no longer requiring prescriptions was working!??!??!?!?!?!? I was one whose primary care physician wouldn't recommend/allow a covid vaccine every 6 months, even though I'm over 65. I have since changed who I'm seeing, but I have no idea if they'll think the same way my last physician did and no allow me to be vaccinated. Plus, getting appts can take a LONG time. Just ugh at stupid decisions some individuals make for us ALL.

Today the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it is now applying individual-based decision-making to COVID-19 vaccination instead of making routine recommendations on use.

"Informed consent is back," said Acting Director of the CDC and Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Jim O’Neill in an HHS press release. "CDC's 2022 blanket recommendation for perpetual COVID-19 boosters deterred health care providers from talking about the risks and benefits of vaccination for the individual patient or parent. That changes today."

Now, all Americans are tasked with consulting with their healthcare providers to decide if they should get a seasonal COVID-19 booster.

All vaccines come with shared deciding making between patients and clinicians, he said. But under the new CDC recommendation, "Vaccinators may require proof of a discussion with a clinical before vaccination. In many states that means getting a prescription with a diagnosis code before a vaccine will be administered. This means that pharmacists, in some states, aren't given the authority to share in decision making."

CDC announces changes to COVID, childhood vaccines, touting 'informed consent'

www.cidrap.umn.edu

Just take me out back and shoot me.

The strange obsession with vaccines is also harming the work of the many other institutions under the control of HHS. The devastating cuts to critical biomedical research programs will set back medicine and health care for generations to come. Fortunately, European countries are picking up some of the slack by hiring our brilliant scientists to re-start their research there. The U.S. research institutions are left in ruin and devastation. Future generations will pay the price with health care that grows outdated.

Don’t forget the millions of Americans who are losing health care coverage, with tens of millions more to come. You can’t fight pandemics or promote preventive public health with a broken health care system that millions can’t access.

 

[Teche]

Can you please explain the part I shortened above? How/why would it be more costly? Just trying to understand.

Thanks, @Teche! (Or anyone that has the answer)

My take is that the actual vaccine administration cost will remain the same but for patients or insurance paying for a dr’s visit can be costly. Having to see a doctor for a script is needlessly taking away from other patients needing an appt. Just my take.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Our BC/BS Medicare Plus premiums rose 12% on October 1. I worry about those who have no insurance or those who might not be able to continue to afford insurance coverage in the coming weeks/months. Flu season has arrived, and there are some parts of the country that report increasing cases of Covid. I shudder to think what will happen when people can't afford flu or Covid shots or are unable to access them depending on where they live.

 

[Gemmie]

Our BC/BS Medicare Plus premiums rose 12% on October 1. I worry about those who have no insurance or those who might not be able to continue to afford insurance coverage in the coming weeks/months. Flu season has arrived, and there are some parts of the country that report increasing cases of Covid. I shudder to think what will happen when people can't afford flu or Covid shots or are unable to access them depending on where they live.

Appears that's Medicare Advantage (not regular Medicare) aka Medigap per AI. I had to look that up as I'm on regular Medicare and my premiums don't/won't go up mid-year. Our year is 1/1 - 12/1. Sorry to hear yours went up.

Are you on an Oct-Sep year, or can your premiums fluctuate month to month?

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Appears that's Medicare Advantage (not regular Medicare) aka Medigap per AI. I had to look that up as I'm on regular Medicare and my premiums don't/won't go up mid-year. Our year is 1/1 - 12/1. Sorry to hear yours went up.

Are you on an Oct-Sep year, or can your premiums fluctuate month to month?

October 1. Benefit catalogues arrived at the end of September with new pricing information released on 10/1. We live quite comfortably and can afford excellent health insurance, but I worry about those who might lose coverage or be unable to afford it when government changes go into effect. Sad state of affairs for our country.

 

[Inthedetails]

Our BC/BS Medicare Plus premiums rose 12% on October 1. I worry about those who have no insurance or those who might not be able to continue to afford insurance coverage in the coming weeks/months. Flu season has arrived, and there are some parts of the country that report increasing cases of Covid. I shudder to think what will happen when people can't afford flu or Covid shots or are unable to access them depending on where they live.

Do state health departments offer free shots? Not sure how accessible that might be to everyone, though, especially if you live in a rural area and health departments might not be nearby. I don't know, but I'm seeing the unfairness in the current situation that has made it more complicated for people to access covid shots, which will result, imo, in fewer people getting the vaccine even if they want it.

jmo

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Do state health departments offer free shots? Not sure how accessible that might be to everyone, though, especially if you live in a rural area and health departments might not be nearby. I don't know, but I'm seeing the unfairness in the current situation that has made it more complicated for people to access covid shots, which will result, imo, in fewer people getting the vaccine even if they want it.

I can't speak to other states, but here's the current policy regarding Covid shots in Michigan.

What you need to know about getting the COVID-19 vaccine in Michigan - Bridge Michigan

Changes at the federal level are making access to the mRNA shot, as well as insurance coverage challenging, while doctors still tout the treatment as effective in treating and preventing coronavirus infection.

bridgemi.com

• New FDA rules restrict access to COVID-19 vaccines for people under 65 unless they have underlying health conditions
• Physician groups and Michigan public health experts still recommend broader COVID vaccination despite the federal limits
• Vaccines remain available at Michigan pharmacies without prescriptions, but insurance coverage may change based on upcoming federal committee decisions