Coronavirus Daily Update: Ambulance Companies Want Reimbursement for Providing Home-Based Care

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 Monday (June 29):

— Ground ambulance companies are taking a financial hit amid COVID-19. Paramedics have been treating an increasing number of people at home, rather than taking them to the hospital, where bed shortages and transmission risks exist. However, CMS isn’t paying them to do so; it only reimburses medically necessary services if the organization is also transporting the patient to a hospital or other designation. Paramedics are calling for a rule change.

— More states are walking back their reopening plans as COVID-19 cases continue to surge. Most recently, California followed suit with Texas and Florida, closing bars in seven counties across the state. Compared to last week, only two states are seeing a decline in cases reported.

— As employees across the country prepare to go back to work, employers are trying to figure out what that will look like. About 94% of large employers say they’re altering workspaces for social distancing, while 64% say they’re placing a bigger focus on social determinants of health in response to recent social upheaval. That’s according to a poll by the Pacific Business Group on Health (PBGH). Meanwhile, companies are split on whether they’ll consider implementing on-site COVID-19 testing.

— Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said on CNN that “the window is closing” for the country to get control of the COVID-19 emergency. Although the U.S. makes up only about 4% of the world’s population, it accounts for about 25% of all reported COVID-19 cases and deaths, according to research from Johns Hopkins University.

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