Ask Amy: Facility Fees added to Houstoniansโ medical bills
We know a lot of you are paying more for your medical bills with added โfacility feesโ. Some seeing hundreds of dollars in charges above your co-pay. Investigator Amy Davis has heard from a lot of you about these fees after the KPRC 2 Investigation earlier this month. In this weekโs Ask Amy episode, Amy talked to experts about these fees and what you can do about it.
CDC numbers show women, white people most likely to be vaccinated after first month of rollout
HOUSTON โ Numbers compiled from the CDC paint a demographic picture of exactly who has received the COVID-19 vaccine so far. But how do the numbers behind the numbers add up? Ho pointed out that the two groups targeted for the initial rollout were healthcare professionals and senior citizens in nursing homes. She said since about 75% of the medical field is female, it makes sense that more women have been vaccinated at this point. AdโUsually what happens is that if men need assistance in their older age itโs usually their wife taking care of them and then itโs the women,โ Ho said.
5 things for Houstonians to know for Friday, Jan. 22
Fired Harris County Health doctor accused of stealing COVID-19 vaccine, DA Kim Ogg saysA Harris County Public Health doctor is accused of stealing a vial of the COVID-19 vaccine, Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg announced in a press release Thursday. A week later, he told a fellow Harris County Public Health employee, who then reported him to supervisors. According to Harris County Public Health, the mishandling of the vaccine could result in the loss of government funding for the county, which sparked an investigation into the accusation. Harris Health System canceling COVID vaccination appointments due to short supplyThe Harris Health System has found itself in a predicament as they expect to run out of their COVID vaccine supply by noon Friday. But, industry experts say the shortage will affect much more than Harris Health patients.
Harris Health System canceling COVID vaccination appointments due to short supply
HOUSTON โ The Harris Health System has found itself in a predicament as they expect to run out of their COVID-19 vaccine supply Friday. But, industry experts say the shortage will affect much more than Harris Health patients. Harris Health serves the uninsured and underinsured from low-income communities. For now, the final doses run out today with Harris Health unsure of when the next batch will arrive. Harris Health had been running seven vaccination sites but only ran one Friday.
Texas ranks near the bottom in distribution of vaccine per 100 people
HOUSTON โ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranks Texas 48th out of 50 States when it comes to the number of vaccines distributed per 100 people. โThatโs really disturbing,โ said Vivian Ho, a health economist with Rice University and the Baylor College of Medicine. โI canโt think of any reason why we should not be receiving vaccines in proportion to our population.โTexas distributes 7.26 doses for every 100 people, according to the CDC data. โYou would want to compare Texas to California and New York,โ Ho said. โThere needs to be good decision making, very solid decision making, at the state level to determine who gets how much vaccine,โ Ho said.
How many different COVID-19 tests are there?
At the testing center, family nurse practitioner and clinic owner Melissa Herpal offers COVD-19 tests without an appointment for $150. A Certified Nurse Practioner for eight years now, Herpal explains there are two very different COVID-19 tests and you need to know the difference. One of the biggest questions is if you have health insurance, how much should you have to pay for a COVID-19 test? Channel 2 Investigates called a wide range of local clinics for their prices on COVID-19 testing without insurance, and we found a range of costs from just under $80 up to $200. Finally, if youโre strapped for cash, Herpel recommends going to one of the many free COVID-19 testing sites.