Uncertainty and poor communication have affected the deployment of free flu vaccines for South Australians, with the state government now confirming that pharmacies can charge for them if they wish.
Key points:
- The South Australian government on Sunday announced free flu shots
- A woman was charged Tuesday with a flu shot at a pharmacy
- SA Health has confirmed that the policy is active and private doctors and pharmacies can continue to charge for the vaccine
The government announced that flu shots would be free from last Sunday until June 30 through a grant plan for GPs and pharmacists.
SA Health has now confirmed that the policy is activated and that private doctors and pharmacies can continue to charge for the vaccine.
Gayle Mather of Port Augusta had booked her flu vaccination appointment at her local Terry White Chemmart two days after the government announced it would offer free flu shots to all South Australians.
Ms. Mather was surprised, however, when she was told she would be charged $ 24.95 for her vaccine.
“I had gone through the fuss to get the appointment and needed the flu shot,” Ms. Mather said.
“I said the Premier had made him free on Sunday and they said ‘yes, we know, but Terry White won’t make him free until tomorrow’, and I said it would certainly not be legal.”
He contacted the office of his local MP, Geoff Brock, who contacted the chemist to ask why they were charging for the flu shot.
“We immediately called the pharmacy and they noticed that there was a malfunction on their website. Someone had put the wrong date in [for the subsidy to start] and rectified and then called all its pharmacies in the South Australian region, ”Brock said.
Vax flu protects against four viruses
- Two flu A:
- Two B flu:
- B / Victoria tends to infect younger people
- B / Yamagata can now be eradicated
Terry White’s national head of health, Dan Hillier, said the misinformation was due to the rapidity of the policy change and all patients charged will be contacted and reimbursed.
“Escape policy will always be a challenge and there will always be things to spread,” Hillier said.
“There has been a misunderstanding at the pharmacist level. What has happened since then, for the only patient I know, the patient has been reimbursed and if there are more patients we are more than happy to return them.”
Ms Maher said she suspected she was not the only patient affected.
“When the lady called me to give me the refund, I said, ‘I guess you should call everyone.’
“I thought there were still eight people who paid $ 24.95 when they didn’t need it.”
Government communication problems
The director of the Pharmacy Guild of South Australia branch, Peter Schwarz, said SA Health did not contact the guild until the day after the policy was announced.
“The first thing we learned about politics was after seeing it in the newspaper on Sunday,” Schwarz said.
In a statement on Wednesday, SA Health said it had contacted pharmacies and GPs “through various channels, including through the relevant professional groups”.
“Suppliers were updated with information on how they can bill the vaccines administered and be reimbursed by those administered as of May 29,” SA Health said.
“While we encourage all health care providers to join the program, it is not mandatory, and individual GPs and pharmacies may continue to charge for the vaccine.
“If patients have prepaid vaccines given on or after May 29, any possible reimbursement should be discussed between the provider and the patient.”