* Kristen Schorsch at WBEZ…
Illinois doctors were ecstatic in July when Gov. JB Pritzker made it easier for some low-income children to get vaccinated.
Pritzker reversed a state rule that required physicians to pay up front for expensive vaccines for their patients who are part of the state-run Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as CHIP. Doctors had sounded the alarm for years that shouldering that financial burden forced them to turn away patients on CHIP, leaving those kids potentially unvaccinated. […]
But now that CHIP vaccinations are free to doctors again, the state is running out of them. On the cusp of flu season, doctors are worried about flu shots in particular.
“I have no flu vaccine for CHIP,” said Dr. Jihad Shoshara, president of west suburban Pediatric Health Associates, a large provider in DuPage County for low-income children. “Flu season is coming and we have a subset of our pediatric population that we can’t vaccinate.”
Go read the rest for the back story.
- Doofman - Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 9:45 am:
“ The memo said Illinois requested a second bulk order from vaccine manufacturers, and that’s expected to arrive around Oct. 25.”
So tomorrow?
- Back to the Future - Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 9:54 am:
Good move by JBP.
Children that get the flu leading to up a hospital stay can suffer life threatening issues
Better for our entire community to be aggressive about health treatment issues like this.
- Barrington - Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 10:22 am:
Any funds spent on vaccines are good for the community. And very cost effective.
- Not a Billionaire - Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 10:50 am:
We got pudding I am heading about shortages but it appears to be a national problem.
- George - Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 11:15 am:
I got my flu shot on Tuesday. Should have done it earlier. The pharmacy was down to four doses and had not gotten its expected delivery. There may be a wider problem with availability of the flu vaccine. The percentage of Americans getting vaccinated each year is still a bit under 50%. But the number is climbing slowly. Maybe this is good news as more people get vaccinated.
- Amalia - Thursday, Oct 24, 19 @ 5:03 pm:
a variety of vaccinations seem short this year even if you are using insurance.