COVID-19
3 Things You Need to Know
March 26, 2020
Physician Focused Summary of Stimulus Bill Passed by the Senate on March 26
Content Provided by:  American Medical Association
Late Wednesday night the Senate approved a massive $2 trillion stimulus and COVID-19 relief package.

Provisions of particular interest to physicians and their practices include the following:

  • Creates a new loan product within the Small Business Administration for loans of up to $10 million to help cover payroll and overhead costs, with expanded loan forgiveness criteria. Physician practices with not more than 500 employees may qualify.

  • $100 billion in direct financial support to hospitals, physician practices, and other health care providers under the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. This support is for costs of treating COVID-19 patients as well as to ease the financial impact on those who lose revenue due reductions in other services as a result of the pandemic. Exact eligibility criteria and application process is not yet defined pending implementation.

  • Suspension of the 2% Medicare sequester in May through December 2020.

  • Limitations on liability for volunteer health care professionals during COVID-19 emergency response.

  • A temporary waiver of the face-to-face visit requirement with home dialysis patients.

  • Authority for the Secretary of HHS to waive telehealth coverage requirements for new patients during a national emergency. Previous legislation provided flexibility only for established patients seen within the past three years.

  • Secretary will also allow for enhanced use of telehealth under Medicare for federally qualified health centers.

Also of interest, the “health extenders” package that was set to expire on May 22 has now been extended to November 30.

House passage is expected on Friday and the President is expected to sign the bill into law.
Department of Labor Requires New Poster for Covered Employees
Content Provided by: Allen Norton & Blue, PA
The Department of Labor ("DOL") released a Workplace Poster for employers regarding COVID-19 and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act ("FFCRA" or "the Act"). 
 
Pursuant to the FFCRA, employers must post a notice to current employees informing them of their rights under the Act. 
 
All covered employers are required to post a notice of the FFCRA requirements in a conspicuous place on its premises where it is visible to all current employees. If employees are teleworking , an employer may satisfy this requirement by emailing or direct mailing this notice to all of its current employees or posting this notice on an employee information internal or external website. Employers are not required to post this notice in multiple languages.
 
The poster can be found online here . 
Impact of COVID-19 on Medical Malpractice Premiums
Physicians are starting to ask if the restrictions being placed on surgery and the overall slow down in medical practice will have a trickle down impact on their medical malpractice premiums.  
 
According to an article published by Karen Zupko & Associates, “A bit of good news in the midst of a trialing time is that some surgeons we’ve spoken with have received premium reductions from their malpractice carrier exceeding 65% of the annual premium.” 
 
It may be worth reaching out to your insurance carrier to see if they are contemplating any reductions in premiums or reclassification of your rating class or even moving you to part-time if there is an extended length of time when you are unable to practice in a manner contemplated when they underwrote your coverage.  
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The staff of the Florida Orthopaedic Society and the BONES Society of Florida are to assist our members get through these trying times.
Florida Orthopaedic Society
Bones Society of Florida
TEL: 844-234-7800