UPDATE: Breaking down the cost of vaccinating Florida’s long-term care facilities

ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida officials announced Thursday that first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered at all of the state’s nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

9 Investigates previously explained how the state hired a private company to help supplement the distribution of vaccines at care facilities. Now, officials are disclosing some of the specifics of the contract.

READ: ‘Piecemeal and inadequate’: Florida congresswoman criticizes state’s COVID-19 vaccine appointment system

The state initially said it paid CDR Maguire $6 million for their services, but 9 Investigates has learned the contract could make its way up to over $20 million.

Florida Assisted Living Association CEO Veronica Catoe says a number of small factors contribute to the seemingly large price tag.

When the state signed the $24 million contract, CDR Maguire vowed to visit all of the state’s long-term care facilities by the end January.

Catoe says, overall, they’re happy with the results.

“Without CDR Maguire, our A-L-F residents would still be waiting.”

CDR Maguire says it hired 1,000 workers and formed 190 teams to get into the more than 1,900 Long-Term care facilities they were assigned.

There was no competition required for the contract, so CDR Maguire was able to be hand-picked for the job, and it’s not their first in Florida.

READ: Poinciana retirement community earns COVID vaccine pod after appealing directly to Governor DeSantis

According to public financial records, the state has signed more than $100-million in purchase orders with CDR Maguire since the start of the pandemic.

The contracts include services like providing COVID-19 testing, and even building field hospitals.

In a statement, CDR Maguire says they’ve been bidding on and winning contracts to provide services to state and local governments since the start of the pandemic.

They credit their success in the previous contracts for the state’s choice to reach out to them when CVS and Walgreens appeared they weren’t going to meet their vaccination goals.

And regardless of the price tag, Catoe says she has to give credit where it’s due.

“Pulling in CDR Maguire was extremely vital to the success of getting these vaccinations in ALFs in a timely manner.”

The Director of the Florida Division of Emergency management, Jared Moskowitz, says if a facility is left behind by Walgreens or CVS, the state will pick them up.

READ: Governor DeSantis budget projects $4.3 billion more this year, much of it to help fight COVID

Moskowitz has said that intellectual or developmental disability facilities are next on the list of vaccination priorities, followed by adult day cares, which could mean more work for CDR Maguire.

9 Investigates has asked state officials what the source of the funding is for CDR Maguire’s contracts, but they haven’t responded.

Cox Media Group