Who can get the COVID vaccine in Florida? Hint: It helps if you have donated to a hospital
At a time when elderly and infirm residents across Florida have had to camp out overnight — or can’t get an appointment because of overloaded web portals glitching — hospitals are struggling to devise equitable systems for dispensing the supplies that they have. Some have been giving fast-passes to wealthy donors and friends, allowing them to skip the line.
At least three South Florida hospital systems — Jackson Health, Mount Sinai Medical Center and Baptist Health — have already reached out and offered vaccines to some donors in advance of the general public, while in the process of dispensing vaccines to front-line employees, patients with chronic illnesses and other stakeholders connected to their health systems.
In carefully crafted statements, hospitals confirmed that donors were among those receiving the vaccine in advance of the general public — but they insist that those who received them were within the age group prioritized by Florida and the Herald found no evidence to the contrary.
“The inference that we are preferring donors over the population is totally inappropriate and not factual,’’ said Steven Sonenreich, CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach. Mount Sinai was the only hospital that had a top official discuss the issue. .
“We’ve communicated
While some are struggling to get an appointment for COVID-19 vaccines, hospitals are reaching out to wealthy donors to let them know inoculations are available.
with all our population who are patients of Mount Sinai, whether you are a donor or not.’’
He added that 11,000 people are scheduled to receive their shots at
Mount Sinai over the next few weeks. For now, Mount Sinai patients and donors receiving their doses are 75 or older, but the hospital plans to expand that group to those 65 and older. Still, the general public — even those over 75 — have had to wait their turn in line by calling a general number and leaving a message, while donors have in some instances been contacted directly and offered an opportunity to be given doses.
One of several people who reached out to the Miami Herald over the past week — a man who said his family is a six-figure donor to Jackson Health — said he is uncomfortable with the hospital’s outreach ahead of the general public. He spoke under the condition that his name not be used.
“Although my [family member] would likely be high priority anyway due to [his/her] age, I am deeply disturbed that wealthy donors are able to skip the line, and I strongly suspect Jackson isn’t the only institution engaging in such behavior,’’ he said.
Concerns have arisen as Florida follows a patchwork, decentralized approach to dispensing the vaccine. Those prioritized by Gov. Ron DeSantis in an executive order — Floridians 65 and older — may not have computer access or, if they do, may not be savvy on social media, where crucial information often flows. Some have dialed hospitals repeatedly, as if responding to a radio ticket giveaway.
Immediately after doses of the vaccines were shipped out to Florida and other states, a hopeful development amid a crushing pandemic, politicians and others began posting photos of themselves on social media, receiving inoculations — for the stated purpose of showing their confidence that the vaccine is safe.
The tweets and posts, among them from Republican Sen. Marco Rubio and recently defeated Democratic Rep. Donna Shalala, have elicited criticism as time has passed and those who desperately want the vaccine continue to cope with long lines, non-functioning web portals and conflicting information. Shalala is over 75; Rubio is far younger.
DeSantis has said he would not be vaccinated at this time because he is young and healthy and doesn’t want to cut ahead of others.
Jackson Health spokeswoman Lidia V. Amoretti noted that the hospital is working with a group of
“community influencers” to help boost public confidence in the vaccine by showing them getting inoculated.
She confirmed that the hospital mobilized an “aggressive outreach program to prioritize thousands of patients over 65,’’ starting with seniors in their system “in categories such as transplant recipients, heart-surgery patients and some Jackson Health Foundation donors, many of whom are themselves grateful Jackson patients and provide philanthropic support to our public health system.’’ Jackson Health Foundation is Jackson Health’s affiliated fundraising charity.
In addition to front-line staff, the hospital has offered vaccines to executives, including a VP who posted a photo of the moment on Facebook.
On Thursday morning, the hospital’s website said: “Currently all of our COVID-19 vaccination appointment slots have been filled, and we are not taking any new appointments at this time.“It advised vaccine seekers to check back later.
Baptist Health, which operates hospitals throughout South Florida, confirmed through a spokesman that, as of Wednesday, it has been vaccinating front-line personal and “reaching out to eligible, high-risk members of the Baptist Health community.’’
The spokesman said the general public is not able to make appointments at this time.
BocaNewsNow.com reported that Baptist representatives phoned donors to the hospital’s foundation directly, asking them if they would like to schedule an appointment. Baptist’s statement did not address how many donors received the vaccine or at which facilities.
The Baptist website says: “Currently, we are vaccinating our team members and medical staff, as they work in close contact with patients.... We are working with the Department of Health and other local hospitals to ensure efficient COVID-19 vaccination access for high-risk populations in our community, including people over the age of 65 and others deemed to be extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 due to certain pre-existing medical conditions. We will offer appointment opportunities to these individuals as soon as possible.”
UHealth, which has a concierge medicine program for patients willing to pay $3,500 a year, has been administering vaccines to members, according to its website. Hospital officials did not respond to several requests for comment.
Its website says: “UHealth is now offering COVID-19 vaccine appointments to our patients age 65 and older with CDC approved risk criteria. We are contacting all eligible patients to schedule their vaccine.”
Billionaire Norman Braman, a member of Mount Sinai’s executive board, was angry at the suggestion that the medical center had done anything improper.
“They are not favoring anyone. I can tell you that as a substantial donor — and I would know,’’ said Braman, 88, who already received his vaccine.
Mount Sinai’s website says it is offering vaccine appointments to MiamiDade first responders in addition to those over 75.
Some still waiting for vaccine access say hospital officials and wealthy donors who don’t see anything wrong with giving the vaccine to themselves — at a time when so many people without money and connections aren’t able to get appointments — are tone deaf to what’s happening in Florida.
“Surprise, surprise,’’ said Johnny Jackson, 76, of Miami, who wrote the Herald to complain about not being able to get an appointment — despite efforts to get a reply from Jackson and Mount Sinai.
“It’s all about money. It’s just a reflection of what’s happening in our country and in Washington. We don’t want a government that makes you safe — we want one that makes you rich.’’
As people like Johnny Jackson have been frustrated by the inability to get a vaccine, stories have emerged of the well-to-do, including snowbirds, getting accelerated access through wealth or connections.
The New York Post reported that New York City real estate tycoons Bill and David S. Mack worked to get Florida vaccines for friends from New York and the Palm Beach Country Club through a Florida retirement home and that some recipients might have flown down from New
York to get the inoculation.
The shots were administered at the Joseph L.
Morse Health Center in West Palm Beach, where David Mack is chairman, the Post said.
The Macks’ spokesman told the Post that the brothers were asked to help a nonprofit organization with a vaccination campaign — and that some of the recipients were indeed members of the country club — but added that “everything was done in accordance with Governor DeSantis’ order as it relates to persons 65 and older.”
On Thursday, Sen. Rick Scott, the Florida Republican, responded to a report on the same facility in the Washington Post, saying: “It is absolutely disgusting and immoral that anyone would take vaccines intended for nursing home residents to distribute them to their friends.” He demanded a “full congressional investigation into reports of improper vaccine distribution.”
Appearing at a Vero Beach news conference later in the day, DeSantis said the state is investigating the allegations.