Testing financing does so in
More dollars for coronavirus testing had appeared in jeopardy after the White House pushed Republicans to zero funds. But as testing delays grew, Republicans rejected the lawsuit and include an additional $ 16 billion for testing, contact tracing, and surveillance. Combined with the money left over from previous aid packages, $ 25 billion would be available for public health measures. However, that number is well below the $ 75 billion Democrats have released for those efforts.
A boost for virtual attention
The pandemic telehealth boom would continue. The legislation would allow the Department of Health and Human Services to continue expansionary telehealth policies until at least the end of 2021. And for federal health centers and rural health clinics, those policies can be extended for another five years after it ends. the emergence of the coronavirus.
Some telehealth advocates have been urging Congress to make more permanent changes to telehealth coverage in the new aid package. But lawmakers don’t seem to want to commit to more radical changes until they’ve done a more in-depth review of the technology, which took off almost overnight as the blockade measures were implemented.
Hospitals Get Protection Against Malpractice Lawsuits
Coronavirus-related liability protections were a priority for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell as well as for hospitals. The bill would extensively protect hospitals and medical professionals from malpractice claims surrounding Covid-19, while limiting damages. Hospital groups say legal risks have been a major barrier to resuming elective surgeries.
More room for maneuver on strong Medicare loans
Hospitals and doctors would also have more time to pay Medicare for the loans they have received to keep their doors open. Some groups of hospitals and doctors have asked for full forgiveness of these loans, which totaled more than $ 100 billion and are separate from the bailout funds provided by Congress. Others have said they need more time to pay the government as they deal with the financial strain of Covid-19. The Senate package would give them a few more months to start paying off the loans on January 1.
Tucker Doherty, David Lim, Susannah Luthi, Mohana Ravindranath, and Rachel Roubein contributed to this report.
