Yellow Fever Vaccination

When I left the states i inquired about the yellow fever vaccination from my doctor.  It was too expensive for him to administer because he would have had to buy 5 doses from his pharmaceutical supplier.  He suggested I contact the the travel medicine center at the University of Pennsylvania.  When I talked to them they told me the process would cost between $200 – $300.  This included the vaccination, the consultation, and the international vaccination card.   I explained my doctor had already given me a consult, but they said he was not good enough and they needed their own staff doctor to do the consultation.  At the time my insurance would cover none of the cost, and so I decided not to get the shot.

On Thursday I went to the public health office in Quito,  this is the only place that administers the vaccine in Quito.  I got my number at the office, two minutes later got my vaccine, which was absolutely free.  I did have to pay $10 to have it documented on an international vaccination card, but that was the entire cost.

This is just another story in the ongoing tale of the American health care industry.

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