By hhcnstaff | June 2, 2020
During this critical
time, Home Health Care News remains committed to bringing you all the essential
news related to home-based care operations. At the same time, we also recognize
the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to our regular content,
we’ll continue to highlight industry-related developments and mitigation
strategies in this rolling bulletin.
What you need to know from Tuesday (June 2)
—
The coronavirus’s impact on telehealth has been nothing short of astonishing.
Nationwide, telehealth claim lines increased 4,347% between March 2019 and
March 2020, according to FAIR Health’s Monthly Telehealth Regional Tracker. A claim
line is an individual service listed on an insurance claim. According to the
tracker, telehealth claim lines made up 0.17% of all medical claim lines in
March 2019, compared to 7.52% in March 2020.
—
Many stakeholders predict telehealth is here to stay, including the management
consulting firm McKinsey. According to a McKinsey report summarized by
MobiHealthNews, as much as $250 billion of current U.S. health care
spending could be virtualized. That’s about 20% of all Medicare, Medicaid and
commercial spending across outpatient, office and home health settings.
—
Best procedures and practices for home-based care providers treating COVID-19
patients continue to change. For example, in New York State, the Department of Health has changed its tune on testing
requirements for home care and hospice personnel working in
senior care facilities. Once effective, workers who spend four or more days per
week in a senior care facility will have to be tested for the COVID-19 virus
twice per week. If they work there less than four days per week, they’ll have
to be tested once per week.
—
Meanwhile, in other states, it’s the funding that’s changing. For example,
Missouri’s governor reduced home- and community-based care funding by $6
million because of coronavirus-related revenue drops, according to the Associated Press. The
decrease was part of a larger $209 million 2020 budget cut in the state.
—
Tuesday, eight states and Washington, D.C., went to the polls for their
primaries, many of which were originally rescheduled because of the COVID-19
virus. Meanwhile, protests over police treatment of black Americans have
some concerned about the spread of the COVID-19 virus,
which has disproportionately affected people of color. Still, while encouraging
precautions, some health experts support the demonstrations, saying racism also
poses a public health risk.
What you need to know from Monday (June 1)
—
Nearly 26,000 people have died of COVID-19 in nursing homes through
mid-May, according to newly released federal data.
—
A report by
the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released Monday projects that U.S. gross
domestic product (GDP) will drop by nearly $16 trillion over the next decade
because of the coronavirus and its far-reaching consequences.
In
light of that CBO report, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) called for Congress to “act with a fierce sense of
urgency” and pass a new round of coronavirus relief legislation. The Washington Post has the story here.
—
A proposal by presidential candidate Joe Biden that gives Americans between the
ages of 60 and 64 the option of buying into Medicare is building steam, according to Forbes. The newfound
support comes as more people lose job-sponsored health coverage amid the
economic chaos created by the coronavirus.
—
Global health service company Cigna (NYSE: CI) announced it is expanding its support for
members during the COVID-19 emergency by eliminating cost-sharing for all
primary care, specialty care and behavioral health care in-office or telehealth
visits for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 care. The move is effective immediately.
—
President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. is cutting all ties to the World Health
Organization (WHO), according to The Guardian. The announcement comes three
weeks ahead of a deadline Trump established down in early May.
HHCN encourages you to reach out to us
individually or at Editor@HomeHealthCareNews.com for story
ideas, tips or general feedbac
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