ORLANDO, Fla. – While many medically vulnerable Florida residents were glad when the state expanded eligibility guidelines for the COVID-19 vaccine, they’ve since encountered confusion and obstacles while trying to get inoculated as doctors charge to fill out the required form.
Now, a push is underway to get rid of that form altogether.
Tracey Johnson is medically vulnerable and said she jumped at the opportunity to get the shot.
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“I’m like, ‘I made it, I’m gonna get the vaccine.’ So happy until, you know, the volunteer walked up to my car and looked at my paper and said, ‘No, you don’t have the right form,’ and from there it was just major disappointment,” she said.
Her doctor provided a note indicating that she should be allowed access to the shot but it wasn’t the required form provided by the Florida Department of Health, which is available here.
Johnson waited more than six hours at a vaccination site run by FEMA at Kelly Park only to be turned away due to improper documentation.
Our fellowship team called 10 local health clinics asking if they'd sign @RonDeSantisFL's government mandated form for medically vulnerable, uninsured Floridians needing the COVID 💉.
— Rep. Carlos G Smith (@CarlosGSmith) March 9, 2021
ONE clinic does it for $75. We need equity in vaccine access-- not red tape @GovRonDeSantis.👇🏽 https://t.co/HKBI0hgfJG
“There is confusion. I was under the impression that the only thing I needed was what my doctor gave me,” she said. “I wasn’t made aware that I needed to have a special form from the health department.”
State Rep. Carlos Guillermo Smith recognizes the difficulties in the process and that’s why he’s calling for changes to be made.
“We should no longer require this government form that a doctor has to sign in order to get access to the vaccine. It’s just creating more obstacles, more red tape and even sometimes more costs if the patient has to go back to the doctor to get sign off on the form,” Guillermo Smith said.
He wants to see more equity when it comes to vaccine access, meaning the FDOH form should no longer be required and an honor system should be implemented instead.
“Folks can self-identify as being medically vulnerable,” he said.
The push is especially important as reports surface of doctors charging a visitation fee in order to fill out the required form. He said his fellowship team called 10 different clinics and one reported billing $75 for the service.
“This extra cost for a free COVID vaccination shot is totally inappropriate. It might be legal but it’s unethical for doctors to be charging to sign off on this form,” Guillermo Smith said.
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