Public health, explained: Sign up to receive Healthbeat’s free Atlanta newsletter here.
It’s been over a month since the FDA approved new Covid vaccines, but for uninsured and underinsured Atlantans who rely on the public health system to get the shots at low cost, the process is fraught with conflicting information and fluctuating supplies.
Some county health departments still don’t have the vaccine; others have a limited supply earmarked for the uninsured, which are free but carry service fees of about $21. (Paying out of pocket at a pharmacy chain will cost about $202, CVS says).
The vaccines will still be free for Marketplace and Medicare enrollees. Uninsured, underinsured and Medicaid-eligible kids should be able to get the vaccines for free under the Vaccines for Children program. And CVS said the shots should be free under most insurance plans at in-network pharmacies.
The Georgia Department of Public Health planned to purchase about 38,000 updated Covid vaccines for underinsured and uninsured adults, spokesperson Nancy Nydam told Healthbeat last month.
There are around 1 million uninsured Georgians under age 65.
In calling 20 public health clinics in metro Atlanta this week, Healthbeat found that some don’t have the vaccines and it’s unclear how uninsured people can get the shots at others.
After inquiries from Healthbeat, some county health departments said they would try to ensure their frontline workers provide accurate information about how to access the shots.
“Training will be provided to staff to ensure they have accurate and consistent information,” Fulton County Board of Health spokesperson Tia McCullough said after Healthbeat shared difficulties getting a vaccine appointment.
Spokesperson Eric Nickens of DeKalb Public Health said clinical leadership was working to ensure frontline staffers provide accurate information to callers after Healthbeat attempted to schedule vaccine appointments at four clinics and got inconsistent information.
That uninsured Georgians have to cover any of the costs out of pocket is a health equity problem, said Laura Colbert, executive director of Georgians for a Healthy Future, a nonprofit advocacy group.
“This imbalance unfairly leaves uninsured folks exposed to illnesses that others are protected from, putting their health and financial stability at risk,” she said.
Shots available for $21 service fee
Healthbeat attempted to contact 20 public health clinics in eight counties: Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale, Cobb, and Douglas.
Many of the clinics said the vaccines would cost around $21.93 for an uninsured patient.
Representatives at a few clinics, including the College Park Health Center, part of the Fulton County Board of Health system, and the Norcross and Newton Health Centers, part of GNR (Gwinnett, Newton and Rockdale) Public Health, said a shot would cost more than $150.
Michele Kehler, a spokeswoman for the agency, said that was incorrect. Uninsured and underinsured patients would need to pay just the $21 administration fee.
Likewise, Fulton spokeswoman McCullough told Healthbeat the shots should cost only $21 for uninsured patients and the clinics will not turn away anyone who is unable to pay.
Colbert said even $21 is too much.
“For families already struggling to make ends meet, an administration fee for a vaccine may make the difference between getting protected or going without it,” Colbert said. “This means more Georgians will be at greater risk of getting sick, missing work, and losing wages they can’t afford to lose.”
Dr. Cecil Bennett, a family medicine doctor and fellow at Morehouse School of Medicine, told Healthbeat last month, “This season is going to be a very difficult Covid and flu season.”
Uptake has been low in Georgia for the flu and Covid vaccines.
Only about 17% of adult Georgians got last year’s Covid shot, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
GNR Public Health chief clinical officer Alana Sulka said the agency’s clinics have not had to turn away any patients for lack of supply of Covid shots.
As of mid-September, Covid caused about 2.7% of all deaths in Georgia, according to the CDC.
The state’s Covid death rate should be close to zero, since deaths are largely preventable with vaccination, said Jodie Guest, senior vice chair of the Department of Epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health.
“This is a vaccine preventable death for almost every case … At a minimum, we’d want to see it under 1%,” she said.
Shots not available in all counties
Some county health clinics don’t have the vaccine at all or only a limited supply for uninsured patients.
For example, a call center representative at the Clayton County Health District said Wednesday the vaccine wasn’t available for uninsured people and she didn’t know when it would be.
In the GNR district, supply “fluctuates daily.” People are urged to call the main line at 770-904-3717 to schedule an appointment, Kehler said.
Reached on Wednesday, representatives at two of four clinics, in Lawrenceville and Newton, said they did not have the vaccines.
Meanwhile, a representative at the Norcross clinic that is part of the same county system said the clinic has a limited supply for uninsured patients. The Rockdale clinic does have the shots and appointments were available.
It’s also a patchwork picture in the Cobb and Douglas Public Health system.
The Douglas and Kennesaw clinics do not have the shots in stock. The Marietta and Smyrna clinics are accepting appointments, as well as walk-ins, though the Smyrna clinic has a very limited supply for uninsured patients, a representative said.
Some clinics difficult to reach
Fulton County’s local health clinics can be difficult to access. The county website touts a main phone number, 770-520-7500, through which people can access local clinics to set up appointments.
But a Healthbeat reporter was only able to speak to a representative at two of those clinics, the Neighborhood Union and College Park Health Centers. At Neighborhood Union, a representative said the new Covid vaccines would cost $21.93 and appointments were available the next day.
It was difficult to reach other clinics in the Fulton health system, with some calls going to voicemail and other clinics not listed in the automatic phone directory system.
In DeKalb, Nickens said appointments are preferred, but walk-ins are accepted. But when contacted, three of the four clinics said the only way to get a vaccine is by walking in and not with an appointment.
Nickens said health department leaders are working to ensure staffers provide accurate information to callers.
Some local nonprofit clinics may also have free or low-cost Covid vaccines for uninsured people, Nydam said.
Here is the situation at five local public health agencies, plus the Grady Health System:
Fulton County Board of Health
Vaccine status: Appointment system unreliable; try walking in
The Fulton County Board of Health’s website lists seven clinics where people can get the Covid vaccines. The website states vaccine appointments and walk-ins are available at those centers.
However, a Healthbeat reporter faced difficulty reaching most of the clinics through the main phone number (770-520-7500) and received inconsistent information from phone representatives about the cost of the vaccines.
Spokesperson Tia McCullough said the agency would work to address those problems.
While uninsured and underinsured patients will not be charged a fee for the actual vaccine, they will need to pay a $21 administrative fee, McCullough said. However, no one will be turned away due to inability to pay.
- Adamsville Health Center: 3700 MLK Jr Dr. SW, Atlanta. Monday-Friday: 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- College Park Health Center: 1920 John Wesley Ave., College Park. Monday–Friday: 8:30–11 a.m. and 1–3 p.m.
- Neighborhood Union Health Center: 186 Sunset Ave. NW # 186, Atlanta. Monday & Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.– 5 p.m.
Healthbeat was unable to reach these clinics using the automated phone system (770-520-7500).
- North Fulton Regional Health Center: 3155 Royal Dr., Alpharetta. Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
- 4700 North Point: 4700 North Point Pkwy., Alpharetta. Tuesday and Saturday: 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
- Fulton County Government Center: 141 Pryor St. (near the Pryor Street entrance), Atlanta. Wednesday and Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Stonewall Tell: 5710 Stonewall Tell Rd., South Fulton. Monday & Tuesday, 9 a.m.– 5 p.m.
DeKalb Public Health
Vaccine status: Call for hours, appointments; walk-ins available
Spokesperson Eric Nickens said people should call 404-294-3700 and ask to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also available. DeKalb Public Health leadership is working to ensure phone representatives have accurate information, Nickens said.
For uninsured patients, the vaccines will cost $21.93. Call ahead.
- Clifton Springs Health Center: 3110 Clifton Springs Rd., Decatur.
- East DeKalb Health Center: 2277 S. Stone Mountain Lithonia Rd., Lithonia.
- North DeKalb Health Center: 3807 Clairmont Rd., Chamblee.
- T.O. Vinson Health Center: 440 Winn Way, Decatur.
Cobb and Douglas Public Health
Vaccine status: Marietta and Smyrna clinics have shots; call ahead
Two of the counties’ public health clinics have the shots for uninsured people in stock, while two do not. The Kennesaw and Douglasville clinics do not have the shots, representatives said, while the Marietta and Smyrna clinics do.
People are urged to call ahead to ensure the vaccines are still in stock. Uninsured people will be charged a $21 fee.
Call 770-514-2300 for an appointment or make an appointment online.
- Marietta: 1650 County Services Pkwy.
- Smyrna: 3001 South Cobb Dr.
Gwinnett, Newton, Rockdale Public Health
Vaccine status: Norcross, Rockdale clinics have shots; supply fluctuates so call ahead
GNR Public Health has a limited supply of Covid-19 vaccines, spokesperson Michele Kehler said. Call 770-904-3717 to inquire about availability.
On Wednesday, the vaccines were available at these locations:
- Norcross Health Center: 5030 Georgia Belle Ct., Norcross.
- Rockdale Health Center: 985 Taylor St. SW, Conyers.
Clayton County Health District
Vaccine status: None available
The Clayton County Health District does not have the vaccines in stock. A representative said she is unsure when they will be available.
Grady Health System
Vaccine status: Shots available
The new Covid vaccines are available at Grady Hospital in the primary care center and Grady’s neighborhood health clinics in the primary care center and Grady’s neighborhood health clinics, spokesperson Danielle Hackett said. For uninsured patients, the vaccine is still available at a nominal cost.
Rebecca Grapevine is a reporter covering public health in Atlanta for Healthbeat. Contact Rebecca at rgrapevine@healthbeat.org.
