CDC suspends social distancing and masks if fully vaccinated

[MU82]

We get it.  You guys don't like each other.

I don't know him well enough to dislike or like him, glow. What I don't like is that somebody with a history of making racist statements on this site is suddenly pretending to give a sh!t about Black people because it became convenient for him to do so. That should be called out, not ignored.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

We get it.  You guys don't like each other.

Sorry for participating in a discussion. If it bothers you so much, maybe you can leave again.

[tower912]

Mass this morning.  About 200 in attendance.   1 person started mass without a mask.   At the start of the homily, the priest addressed the mask issue and said that within appropriate guidelines, the vaccinated could remove their masks.   But it was ok to leave it on in deference to others.   Two people removed their masks.

[muwarrior69]

  i don't know if this is "click-bait", but slippery slope man!  you do realize that african americans are among the least vaccinated, right?  slippery slope

"The CDC reports demographic characteristics, including race/ethnicity, of people receiving COVID-19 vaccinations at the national level. As of May 11, 2021, CDC reported that race/ethnicity was known for just over half (55%) of people who had received at least one dose of the vaccine. Among this group, nearly two thirds were White (63%), 13% were Hispanic, 9% were Black, 6% were Asian, 1% were American Indian or Alaska Native, and <1% were Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, while 8% reported multiple or other race. However, to date, CDC is not providing state-level demographic data for people vaccinated."

https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/latest-data-on-covid-19-vaccinations-race-ethnicity/

My wife and I got our first shot on Friday, May 14. We were required to fill out the consent which asked for demographic information which was optional. So I would take the demographic data collected by the CDC with again grain of salt as it is voluntary. The other curious thing is we were all told that the COVID shots are free and if that is so why do they ask for your insurance info? Are they charging your insurance carrier and still collecting from the government COVID relief packages passed under TRUMP and BIDEN? I guess when you can double dip you double dip.

[MUBurrow]

My only qualm with suspending masks is that there are a bunch of folks out there who aren't two weeks out from their second shot, through no real fault or delay of their own.  Its been a wild month to go from vaccine hunting to oversupply, but the timeline of first shot to 3-4 week wait to second shot to two weeks until fully vaxxed up means that it takes about 6 weeks for someone to make their first appt to being good to go.  Wisconsin first opened vaccines to everyone April 5 which is almost exactly 6 weeks tomorrow.

You know that the 30%-40% of people who are never going to get a vaccine are ditching their mask the first chance they get, so this just seems to put soon-to-be vaxxed people into contact with never-vaxxers a couple weeks early.  Then again, I get that after a first shot there is probably enough immunity built up for most that this tight timeline probably won't move the needle on total cases.

[jsglow]

I'd argue Burrow that the timing had less to do with 'science' than it did with 'polling'.  Absolutely nothing changed with the science.  In fact the science with respect to the fully vaccinated had been pretty well established for some time.

[Warriors4ever]

muwarrior69, there is an administration fee that providers can charge your insurance for.  If a person doesn’t have insurance then it is paid by the government. It is a separate charge  from the vaccine itself. But it is no cost to the person receiving the shot.
‘Free’ is of course a misnomer, as that only means there is no out of pocket cost to the consumer, not that we aren’t paying for it through our taxes.

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

I'd argue Burrow that the timing had less to do with 'science' than it did with 'polling'.  Absolutely nothing changed with the science.  In fact the science with respect to the fully vaccinated had been pretty well established for some time.

Maybe.  I’d gather it has more to do with a calculated risk to get to the target of getting 70%+ vaccinated.  Even in areas of high vaccination rates we are hitting a wall. This gives an incentive.  Also the levels of spread right now make it lower risk.

[MU82]

The other curious thing is we were all told that the COVID shots are free and if that is so why do they ask for your insurance info? Are they charging your insurance carrier and still collecting from the government COVID relief packages passed under TRUMP and BIDEN? I guess when you can double dip you double dip.

Neither my wife nor I nor any friends to whom I have spoken had to show an insurance card or give any insurance info at all. Didn't even have to show a driver's license. The mobile clinic I went to, run by our large hospital system, was all about getting jabs in arms.

[tower912]

My wife and I went to a large regional shot site.   No insurance info requested.

My son at Walgreen's required insurance information.   I doubt I will get a bill.

[Warriors4ever]

You’re not going to get a bill.
As I said it’s a question of who pays the administrative fee, your insurance company or the government. But not you.

[tower912]

Costco.  97% mask wearing.

It will be a fascinating character study in the coming days and weeks.

[Billy Hoyle]

My wife and I went to a large regional shot site.   No insurance info requested.

My son at Walgreen's required insurance information.   I doubt I will get a bill.

We did a huge drive through vaccination site. They took our insurance cards each time.

[cheebs09]

Went to the Milwaukee Zoo yesterday. At least per their website, their mask policy of wearing a mask at all times still is in effect. Previous times we’ve gone, I’d say 95-100% were in masks. This time it was probably 55-60%.

It’s not a big deal because it’s outdoors mostly, but feels like masks are a thing of the past for many.

[BrewCity83]

Neither my wife nor I nor any friends to whom I have spoken had to show an insurance card or give any insurance info at all. Didn't even have to show a driver's license. The mobile clinic I went to, run by our large hospital system, was all about getting jabs in arms.

You didn't have to show a driver's license?  I assume you got a vaccination card...how did they know who you were to issue the card?

[MU82]

You didn't have to show a driver's license?  I assume you got a vaccination card...how did they know who you were to issue the card?

They handed me a very short form to fill out, and told me to write my name on the top of my vaccination card. That was it.

I guess they believed who I said I was.

Horrors.

[forgetful]

Neither my wife nor I nor any friends to whom I have spoken had to show an insurance card or give any insurance info at all. Didn't even have to show a driver's license. The mobile clinic I went to, run by our large hospital system, was all about getting jabs in arms.

While this is true, these large hospital systems are likely making a decent chunk of money doing this. They are billing either the insurance company or the US government administration fees for giving the vaccine.

My insurance company was billed $185 for an "administration fee" despite the vaccines being free to the hospitals.

Given that most of these vaccine clinics are being staffed by volunteers, that is a pretty hefty profit for the large hospital systems. We needed this to be done, and if that is the cost fine, but the hospital systems are not doing this altruistically, getting jabs in arms is a guaranteed way to fill the coffers too.

Some hospitals may be finding the dealing with the insurance companies is not worth the likely higher charge they can bill them, and instead simply take the administration fee from the government.

[muwarrior69]

While this is true, these large hospital systems are likely making a decent chunk of money doing this. They are billing either the insurance company or the US government administration fees for giving the vaccine.

My insurance company was billed $185 for an "administration fee" despite the vaccines being free to the hospitals.

Given that most of these vaccine clinics are being staffed by volunteers, that is a pretty hefty profit for the large hospital systems. We needed this to be done, and if that is the cost fine, but the hospital systems are not doing this altruistically, getting jabs in arms is a guaranteed way to fill the coffers too.

Some hospitals may be finding the dealing with the insurance companies is not worth the likely higher charge they can bill them, and instead simply take the administration fee from the government.

Would you had to pay if you did not meet your deductible?

[Warriors4ever]

$185 is pretty outrageous, that’s the highest I’ve seen in the Vaccine Hunters group by far.

[MU82]

While this is true, these large hospital systems are likely making a decent chunk of money doing this. They are billing either the insurance company or the US government administration fees for giving the vaccine.

My insurance company was billed $185 for an "administration fee" despite the vaccines being free to the hospitals.

Given that most of these vaccine clinics are being staffed by volunteers, that is a pretty hefty profit for the large hospital systems. We needed this to be done, and if that is the cost fine, but the hospital systems are not doing this altruistically, getting jabs in arms is a guaranteed way to fill the coffers too.

Some hospitals may be finding the dealing with the insurance companies is not worth the likely higher charge they can bill them, and instead simply take the administration fee from the government.

Thanks for the info.

Of course, I neither said nor suggested anything different.

My wife's hospital group, the largest in the southeast, has given "heroes" several bonuses since the start of COVID-19, so hopefully at least some of these profits are making their way into the bank accounts of employees below management level.

[forgetful]

Thanks for the info.

Of course, I neither said nor suggested anything different.

My wife's hospital group, the largest in the southeast, has given "heroes" several bonuses since the start of COVID-19, so hopefully at least some of these profits are making their way into the bank accounts of employees below management level.

I honestly didn't know how much they charge insurance until I saw the explanation of benefits. Hospital administration is far far far from the science realm I get to play in.

Very glad that your wife's hospital group has been doing the right thing. Sadly, I've heard of some hospitals that forced their employees to take pay cuts early on.

[Billy Hoyle]

one positive out here after the mask announcement was big lines to get vaccinated over the weekend. President Biden and others don't have the power to require people to wear masks if they aren't vaccinated but the comment may have lit a fire under people to do it.

[forgetful]

Would you had to pay if you did not meet your deductible?

No, it would have been covered. My employer guaranteed that everything COVID related is 100% covered, vaccines, testing, and medical care.

[Warriors4ever]

Deductibles and copays aren’t part of the equation for the Covid vaccine, the person getting it doesn’t pay.
Some clinics were found to be charging patients for ‘other services’ ie you must have an exam first, but that hit the press and hopefully people know by now that you do not need a medical exam first.

[Jay Bee]

My health club isn’t requiring masks (although there are still dumb city guidelines)... barely anyone is wearing one. Steam room, sauna, hot tub... all reopened. Bar is restocked as well. Great to see.