Frank Castiglia Jr.: Double Dipping

by Contributor | January 18, 2021 12:16 pm

To the Editor,

On Saturday January 16th I received my 1st dose of the Covid19 vaccine at G. Ray Bodley high school in Fulton. The event was very well attended and very well organized!

Ever since the announcement of the availability of the Covid19 vaccine all Government info stated that the vaccine would be free! Remember these words!

While standing in line waiting for my shot a person made an announcement to “have your insurance card ready.” It didn’t quite sink in at that moment but soon I was standing in front of a table and a young lady asked for my Insurance card. At this point I said “Not that it matters but why do you need my Insurance card.” She called over another young lady and she said “It is for the cost of administering.”  I said “OK” and I let it pass as I was more worried about getting a shot.

The charge was a little over $16.00. Now remember the words from above ”The Vaccine would be free.”

Now I did hear that the vaccine is free but an agency administering the vaccine may charge an administering fee.
I could understand this fee if we were going to our private Dr. office to receive this vaccine for Covid19. As I stated above we were at G. Ray Bodley HS in Fulton, and this vaccine was being administered by Oswego County Office for the Aging.

This is a County Agency funded by Oswego County tax dollars paid by Oswego County taxpayers.
At the November 12th full Legislative meeting Resolution #213 the Legislature accepted $304,948 dollars for Covid19 support and response. This money must be used by June 2022.

So with the statements from the government and the info about the funding, I must ask why the people getting a shot on Saturday were being charged a administering fee.

Is this just another way for Oswego County to profit from the public’s misfortune? We didn’t ask to have this pandemic and we all pay taxes to our Local, State and Federal governments and school districts.

So why should we have to pay for a vaccine being administered by a County Agency in a City School Building? Taxpayer money should be used to perform services for the taxpayers, there is money in each government agency’s fund balance to cover the costs for administering the vaccine.

No government should profit from the misfortune of its people. The State and Federal Governments are providing funds for local governments to battle the Covid19 pandemic.

Any costs incurred by any local government agency for the battle of the Covid19 will be reimbursed by either the State or Federal Government.

So in ending!

Stop Double Dipping Oswego County !

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to Justice everywhere” MLK

“The Time is always right to do what is right” Unknown.

-Frank Castiglia Jr.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/frank-castiglia-jr-double-dipping/

---