Santa Clara County won’t join Blue Shield vaccine plan
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Santa Clara County will not participate in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s plan to have Blue Shield control COVID-19 vaccine distribution in California, a newspaper reported.
County Executive Jeff Smith said late Monday that the county will not sign a contract with the health insurance company because it would not improve speed or efficiency, The Mercury News reported.
The state’s switch to a vaccine appointment and delivery system administered by Blue Shield was expected to be completed by March 31. Skepticism, however, has surfaced among the state’s 58 counties.
So far, Kern County is the only county to sign a contract with Blue Shield. But 41 federally qualified health centers, 28 hospitals, four large medical groups, three pharmacies and three tribal clinics have signed on, according to the company.
On the Central Coast, Monterey County said its county counsel is still reviewing the contract, and they do not know when they will have a decision. In Santa Cruz County, officials said they do not need or have a decision yet because they are part of the third phase.
In Santa Clara County, Smith characterized Blue Shield’s role as “adding bureaucracies.”
The state turned to Blue Shield to create uniform rules and increase the rate of vaccinations, with the state’s My Turn system serving as the central portal for getting appointments. Blue Shield is also to improve targeting of hard-hit communities.
“Our goal is to save lives by helping to provide all Californians equitable access to the vaccines, especially in those communities hardest hit by the pandemic,” Blue Shield spokesperson Matthew Yi said in a statement.
