Tomlinson: America s health care system flails again, focused on profit over patients
FacebookTwitterEmail
1of9
People wait in a line for a COVID-19 vaccine shot Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, near the Bayou City Event Center in Houston.Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less
2of9
Carmen Acosta, 86, rests as she waits in line for a COVID-19 vaccine shot with her son Robert, right, and husband Luis Acosta, 91, in back seat, on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, near the Bayou City Event Center in Houston. The son said they had been waiting about 45 minutes.Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographerShow MoreShow Less
3of9
People line up for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine administered by University Health at Wonderland of Americas Mall, Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. It is the first day of vaccinating people in the 1B group, those 65 years and over and 18 and above with certain medical conditions. The 17,280 vaccination slots were taken up in five hours after University Hea
Tomlinson: America’s health care system flails again, focused on profit over patients By Chris Tomlinson, Staff writer
Profit-driven companies and private partnerships have proven once again they cannot solve the U.S. health care system’s problems.
Or maybe it’s just more profitable to leave things alone.
Texans spent the weekend hitting redial or refresh to get an appointment for a dose of COVID-19 vaccine. They discovered a complicated, disjointed, illogical and unfair process that perfectly reflects how all health care is delivered in this country.
Begin with the pharmaceutical companies struggling to produce enough doses because they’ve outsourced production. Move on to the federal government, which relies on private logistics companies for distribution during their busiest season.
Nothing smooth about this : Texas coronavirus vaccine rollout is confusing almost everyone
FacebookTwitterEmail
Ora Lee Mair, 92, of the Morningside Ministries Assisted Living Facility receives a shot from pharmacist Gabriela Alfaro.Matthew Busch / Contributor
AUSTIN Rep. Michelle Beckley, D-Carrollton, doesn’t get any special access to the coronavirus vaccine just because she’s a state official.
A pre-existing condition makes her more susceptible to the virus, and that puts her in group 1B, the second tier of people on the state’s priority list for getting the vaccine.
Her priority designation follows that of group 1A first responders, health care workers and nursing home residents.
As Texas leaders claim COVID vaccines are sitting on shelves, hospitals and pharmacies beg for more houstonchronicle.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from houstonchronicle.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.