Why One Medical shouldn’t be offering Bay Area vaccinations
Equity in administering COVID-19 vaccinations means not only considering vaccine locations, the demographics of those receiving the vaccine, but also who is operating vaccination sites.
It has been thoroughly reported that we have not had enough vaccine supply to meet demand. Adequate vaccine supply is expected to be a challenge for weeks to come. Bay Area county governments and nonprofit health systems can all administer many more vaccines than they have at present.
One Medical is administering COVID-19 vaccines and recently announced plans to set up additional vaccination sites in the Bay Area.
One Medical is a for-profit, concierge medicine corporation that recently went public and is now listed on Nasdaq. Its website home page includes a link to “Investor Relations,” with information about quarterly earnings results. Equity has a different definition for One Medical.
A National Public Radio investigation on Wednesday found that One Medical allowed ineligible patients — and those with connections to One Medical’s leadership — to skip the vaccine line ahead of high-risk patients.
Three Bay Area counties — Alameda, San Francisco, and San Mateo — have now suspended vaccine supplies to One Medical. Other jurisdictions that have been supplying vaccines to One Medical should do the same.
Allocation of precious vaccines to a for-profit, concierge medicine corporation should not be happening during a time of vaccine scarcity.
While local governments and trusted community health partners can’t get enough vaccines, we find it inexplicable why concierge primary care companies such as One Medical — which charge a $199 annual membership fee — also are receiving this scarce resource.
We know that the pandemic has disproportionately affected Latino, Black and lowincome Californians. This has led state and local elected officials to try to address health equity concerns throughout the pandemic.
The Bay Area has seen dramatic health disparities laid bare by COVID-19 and recently released vaccination data by race and ethnicity shows the need for greater outreach to and access for residents in the hardest-hit census tracts.
It is no surprise that the hardest-hit census tracts are not where One Medical has chosen to open its boutique offices. One Medical caters to more affluent demographics, not to mention a younger clientele than the current older adult populations prioritized for vaccines.
Our elected officials and health officers must carefully consider the equity of who is administering vaccinations.
Some organizations prioritize accessibility for all, regardless of ability to pay. Others operate using models which are a barrier to accessibility, such as charging membership fees.
Unless concierge medicine is a benefit that all residents receive, we must prioritize vaccines for the public sector and nonprofit health care entities who are truly serving residents most in need.
Allocation of precious vaccines to a for-profit, concierge medicine corporation should not be happening during a time of vaccine scarcity.
Darcie Green is Executive Director of Latinas Contra Cancer. Malinda Markowitz is a member of the California Nurses Association and is a South Bay Labor Council Executive Board member.