DeSantis just helped the rich get a LOT richer off of the COVID vaccinations via Publix
60 Minutes just made some damning revelations about DeSantis, Publix, and Campaign donations, and there are good diaries on this story here and here.
However, as I watched 60 minutes one little fact that flipped me out, and which has not been laid out in gross dollar amount of Revenue for Publix is this:
Publix can bill Medicare $40 per vaccination.
Effective for services furnished on or after March 15, 2021, the new Medicare payment rate for administering a COVID-19 vaccine is approximately $40 to administer each dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. This means that starting on March 15, 2021, for single dose COVID-19 vaccines, Medicare pays approximately $40 for its administration. Starting on March 15, 2021, for COVID-19 vaccines requiring multiple doses, Medicare pays approximately $40 for each dose in the series.
Curiosity had me do a little number crunching for Publix’s bottom line.
Let’s say 1 Publix pharmacy does 6 vaccines an hour
$40 X 6 = $240 Minus let’s say $40 an hour for the person’s wage who does the administration.
So a profit of $200 an hour
At $200 an hour in an 8 hour day = $1,600
5 days a week = $8,000
or $32,000 a month and let’s say the vaccine roll out is for 6 months
6 months X 32,000 = $192,000 in profits
for ONE Publix.
Now consider this, in defending deSantis’ choice of using Publix, their spokesperson said this:
“As a Florida-based company with more than 750 pharmacies throughout the state, Publix is well-positioned to serve as a partner in distributing the COVID-19 vaccine to Florida's residents. Our large footprint, infrastructure and distribution network across the state, as well as our experience with administering the flu vaccine (and other vaccines) and online scheduling technology, gives us the capability to efficiently deploy the vaccine. That expertise is critically needed at this time. In less than a week we have vaccinated more than 10,000 Floridians in only 22 of our stores.
According to public data records Florida has vaccinated approximately 6,299,000 people at least once, and that data states that is only about 30% of the population.
|
Number |
% in Populaton |
| People Vaccinated with at least One Dose |
6,299,638 |
30.58% |
| People Fully Vaccinated |
3,660,880 |
17.77% |
Now for more math, let’s say Publix is responsible for 1/3rd of those 6 million vaccines, about 2 million vaccines…
(Little math mistake previously here)
And there is still another 70% of the population left to receive their first dose.
The amount of profit for Publix’ bottom line is starting to look pretty sweet.
This certainly looks like Publix made plenty of Return on Investment for that $100,000 PAC donation.
But I’d bet if this community as well as other journalists like Sharyn Alfonsi of 60 minutes, just
‘Follow the Money’ there may be more to this story than just a one time campaign donation.
This sure makes Rick Scott’s Medicare fraud during his tenure look paltry by comparison.
With Scott and DeSantis both trying to compete for 2024’s GOP nomination,
I thought Scott sank his own ship when he told people receiving Stimulus checks to
“quit recklessly spending other people’s money.”
But, thanks to Alfonsi and 60 Minutes, I believe the title of top ship sinker or Grifter in Chief might belong to Ron DeSantis. Now that is the real ‘Pay to Play’ politics...
‘Follow the Money...”
