A rant (but I'm not raving):
I must speak in defense of California's health system (which, by the way, is the envy of the nation) (and by the way, this is Matt snooping on Auburn's facebook page, I don't and won't have my own login [this didn't end up on facebook, though, since the rant went on too long... you don't want me to have a facebook login]):California DOES have many walk-in immunization clinics, but it is true that they are fewer and farther between than other states (including Utah). There are several reasons for this, but let me first point out why some states DO have lots of walk-in clinics. Some states (especially certain states with LOTS of kids [and as a pediatrician, I say that in the most positive way] realize that if they don't provide free walk-in clinics, then they WILL need to provide free epidemic control clinics for measles, chicken pox, etc. Because they realize that, particularly when families have lots of kids, there is a statistically-sound higher probability that said families won't necessarily make the wise (very wise!) investment in health insurance coverage for those families. And coincidentally, those same states also have very limited public insurance/coverage for kids (because federal medicaid and SCHIP funding is augmented and distributed by the states, so states that have residents who really don't believe in taxation also have much less money to fund their medicaid program). So, free walk-in shot clinics are the cheapest way to provide no chronic healthcare to kids.
So, why does California have fewer of these clinics? Because California provides much more COMPREHENSIVE and FREE healthcare to its kids. If a kid is a legal resident of California, she has to have pretty rich parents for her to not qualify for MediCal/SCHIP-funded insurance, which provides for not only immunizations, but all well-child visits, all sick visits, all hospitalizations, etc. If a child is not a legal resident, there are other options for coverage, including many regional programs (San Diego has First Five which provides healthcare—and much more—for all kids under five), temporary and/or emergency MediCal, and many community-based free or $5 urgent care or immunization clinics (I know of at least 5 different immunization clinics in San Diego county [actually, it turns out there are over 40], two that are free and 3 that provide all immunizations for a $5 co-pay). Anyway, the California system is far from perfect, and there ARE still some gaps in coverage (particularly for migrant families), and there IS way too much paperwork in order to get coverage AND processing times that are too long (though much of the coverage is retroactive), but it is in many ways the best system in the country (and is definitely the best system given the enormity of the population, both legal and not).
Hopefully, with President Obama's recent actions, healthcare coverage for children will become more universally accessible nationwide (which will help all those currently un-insured kids in Utah AND California), and this dissertation will become somewhat moot. For the time being, however, I have to take a stand and say that I am proud to live in what is by many measures the most-taxed state so that I can, with my meager contribution, help pay for providing healthcare (beyond just immunizations) to those who aren't allowed to insure themselves (kids, that is).
But hey, whatever you think of the above, just GET YOUR KIDS IMMUNIZED!!! AND ONTIME (there's a reason for the schedule, people!!!)!!! please :)
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5 comments:
You guys are too funny. Okay you deserve to hear the entire story:
So Greg and I (Mostly Greg though) have been doing research to find out which health insurance plan we want to go with. It has just taken so long to get all the paper work and yaddayadda filled out that we won't be covered until the middle of this month. Knowing this, and that Logan's 6 month mark was approaching, I looked up the health department info online to be ready for when the date approached thinking that I could just walk in and get the immunization with no appointment. The time rolls around, I call the health department and get this lady chewing me out for thinking that I could possible walk in and get immunizations without seeing a doctor first. Heaven forbid. Then she tells me that no place in california has walk-ins for immunzations like that due to liability. I was like what the? There was even more crazy stuff she said to me during that conversation but I won't even get into that. Anyway, I'm like well then I guess I have to schedule an appointment with the health dept doctors but wait they can't see Logan for a MONTH. That won't work because he needs the immunizations NOW. NOT in a month. So I start calling around doctors to see when I could get Logan in. He needs to be seen anyway so I was like okay we will just fork over the money for now because this is Logan's health ya know? I spent an entire day calling around trying to figure this out. I finally find somewhere that can get him in within the week. So today I go down to this clinic and wait forever in the waiting room, fill out all the paperwork, wait another forever in the back rooms with Logan, finally the doctor comes in and tells me that the don't have all the immunizations that Logan needs and that they are on back order for 6 months. I'm like well aren't there any walk in immunization clinics around here and he tells me no- Logan has to be seen first by a doctor before anyone will give him shots. Okay so why when we were on the phone making the appointment did you not tell me your office didn't even have all the shots?? I had to drive my husband to work this morning which isn't close (it isn't super far either but still) and drive all the way down here to temecula and deal with winchester and wait all this time to have you tell me that you can't see Logan or examine him because you don't have the immunizations? Urgh!!! FRUSTRATION. I didn't say that though to them, I just left and vented on good ole FB. So I guess it isn't the health system i'm frustrated with, it was just the PEOPLE i had to deal with the past little while who according to your information did NOT know what the jeebers they were talking about. But your blog post was very informative and I am certainly thankful for your help!
I don't know anything about the walk-in clinics, but I am thankful that our little one qualified (easily) for Medi-Cal. At least if we have no income, she can still get her checkups and shots and everything! I would have been happy with a small co-pay, but, hey, free is even better.
Of course...it did mean we put off finding health insurance for the grown-ups in the household, because we figured we hardly ever need the doctor. Definitely not as much as her. So once she was covered....it was too easy to put off figuring out what the adults would do. Silly us.
Hear, hear! I have no problem with my tax money going toward making sure children get access to healthcare. Even from a selfish standpoint, considering that my kid will soon be playing with other children I would prefer that there be as few harmful diseases circulating on the playground as possible.
I have problems paying for children that people cant afford to have. If you can't afford the cost of a kid- don't have one. But, I think I am also overly responsible- and most people don't think that way. I also see the side of the argument that the kid should NOT be the one punished- but we are, in a way, rewarding parents that should plan better by taking care of their kids' health for free.
I am also the annoying mom that probably wont get the shots put into my child. Just what Matt wants to hear! Haha! All I know, is when I got my last "series" of renewal shots- I had a the worst headache for about three days. Not cool. Dealing with this decision is something I am not looking forward to.
Matt's response (why doesn't he just start his own blog? :)).
I agree with your first point entirely. Except that I don't feel like we can punish kids for having foolhardy parents. I *would* be willing to pay to maintain a general public fund for birth control and other such measures. [Now he's laughing hysterically. Though still earnest. Hehe.] But, hey, maybe if we keep kids healthy and somehow find a way to get them a proper education, we can hope they'll make wiser decisions than their forbearers. :) So, sure it's an expenditure, and even a gamble, but I'm willing to do it.
As to your second point, if you're not looking forward to that decision, leave that decision up to me. [More laughter!] :) In all honesty, I'm always happy to have a candid conversation with responsible parents about the pros and (gasp!) cons of vaccines. Spoiler alert: I think the pros win.
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