Fantastically alarming

Okay this is a depressing note to end on but this was, briefly, the main story on the CNN website today.

Doctors slash vaccines due to rising costs
Health care providers say insurers don't reimburse them enough for essential vaccinations, so they're not offering them.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Parents who bring their kids to Dr. G. Andrew McIntosh for the chicken pox vaccine are out of luck.

The family physician, who has a solo practice in Uniontown, Ohio, doesn't offer that shot because he can't afford it. Most insurers won't sufficiently cover the cost.

"It doesn't do me any good. I am losing money on [them]," he said. The chicken pox vaccine runs about $115, but insurers only cover between $68 to $83 of that..

....

It's not clear exactly how widespread vaccine cutbacks are, but in a recent industry survey, 5% of pediatricians and 11% of physicians indicated that they're seriously considering no longer offering immunizations. Currently there are about 350,000 pediatricians and family physicians in the U.S.

"These are fantastically alarming numbers," said Dr. Richard Lander, a Livingston N.J.-based pediatrician who chairs a committee on administration and practices at the American Academy of Pediatricians. (AAP)

Read the full story here.

Most of you have probably not had Chicken pox because you were vaccinated against it. As someone who has had chicken pox let me tell you, in the words of Pooh Bear, it is one ******* miserable disease.

I hope you enjoyed the class. If you didn't, or it wasn't what you expected please let me know.