Month: April 2020

The Trump administration announced a plan on Wednesday to start paying hospitals and doctors who care for uninsured patients with COVID-19. Under the approach detailed by Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, hospitals and doctors would submit their bills directly to the government and they would get paid at Medicare rates. Uninsured people would not be liable for costs, and health care providers would not have to ask any questions about a patient’s immigration status. COVID-19 treatment for the uninsured could cost from $14 billion to $48 billion, according to a recent estimate from the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation.

Azar said the administration is not providing an estimate on what its plan will cost, but he is confident it will fit within the $100 billion allocated by Congress. Lawmakers are finalizing another coronavirus relief bill, expected to add $75 billion more for the health care system.

About 28 million people were uninsured before the pandemic hit, and that number is expected to rise sharply. Consultants at Health Management Associates estimate that 12 million to 35 million people could lose workplace coverage in the economic shutdown aimed at containing the spread of the coronavirus.

Administration offers plan to cover COVID care for uninsured

Via abcnews.go.com

The Trump administration has come out with a plan to start paying hospitals and doctors who care…

04/22/2020 3:56 PM

 

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Two cats from New York state are the first pets in the United States to have tested positive for the virus that is causing the worldwide pandemic, the Agriculture Department and the Centers for Disease Control announced Wednesday.

The cats, from different parts of the state, are showing only mild symptoms and are expected to be fine. Testing positive does not mean the cats have the same illness that people have, and doesn’t mean that the cats can pass on the illness to people. Veterinarians took samples from both cats that were tested at a private lab, then confirmed at a national veterinary lab. The owners brought both cats to veterinarians because they showed symptoms of a respiratory infection. One owner had tested positive for the virus. No human in the other cat’s household tested positive.

The Agriculture Department and the C.D.C. emphasized that “there is no evidence that pets play a role in spreading the virus in the United States.”  The Agriculture Department will post any confirmed tests of animals with SARS-CoV-2 on its website. It does not recommend routine testing for pets.

2 cats in NY become first US pets to test positive for virus

Via abcnews.go.com

Two pet cats in New York state have tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first…

04/22/2020 4:51 PM

 

Georgia, Tennessee and South Carolina have announced plans to reopen some businesses by May 1 or earlier after they were closed to stem the spread of coronavirus. 

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced that barbershops, bowling alleys, gyms and tattoo parlors, among other businesses, would be allowed to reopen on Friday if they adhere to social-distancing and hygiene rules, and that dine-in restaurants and theaters could reopen with limitations on April 27.

In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Lee said Monday that he would not be extending his “safer-at-home” order, which is scheduled to expire on April 30. A “vast majority” of businesses will be allowed to reopen on May 1, his office said.  

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster allowed some businesses in that state to reopen Monday, just two weeks after they were ordered closed. South Carolina department stores, sporting goods stores and flea markets can reopen as well as stores selling furniture, books, music, flowers, clothing and accessories. Businesses will be allowed to open at 20% capacity, or five people per 1,000 square feet.

Tuesday Coronavirus Update: South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee Ease Restrictions

Via www.thestreet.com

Here’s your daily coronavirus update … some states are looking to ease lockdown…

04/21/2020 8:44 AM

 

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The Food and Drug Administration announced Tuesday that it has approved the first authorized at-home coronavirus test. The test will be made available first to health care workers and first responders, and is expected to go on sale for consumers in most states within weeks.

The test, called the Pixel, is a nasal swab kit developed and sold by LabCorp. Patients will collect their own samples using a special sterile swab provided in the kit and then send it in to one of the company’s labs for analysis.

The FDA said it granted the company emergency approval to get the tests out sooner. The test kit costs $119, and potential customers must complete a survey about their eligibility for testing before receiving one. The test’s website says it will not be available in New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Rhode Island. New York and New Jersey are the two states with the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths. 

FDA approves at-home COVID-19 test

Via www.upi.com

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday approved a new test for COVID-19 that allows users…

04/21/2020 5:13 PM

 

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Walt Disney Co., the world’s largest entertainment company, will be furloughing more than 100,000 employees this week. It was reported Monday that the move makes nearly half its workforce eligible for unemployment while still protecting executive bonuses.

Disney aims to save up to $500 million a month across its theme parks and hotels, which have been shut in Europe and the U.S. for almost five weeks. However, in going a step further than other theme parks and shifting potentially hundreds of millions in payroll burden to the state, Disney is reportedly protecting its executive-bonus schemes and a $1.5 billion dividend payment due in July. The move may signal Disney’s plans for a prolonged shutdown.

Over the past month, Disney has raised debt and signed new credit facilities, leaving the company with about $20 billion in fresh cash to draw upon for a downturn. Disney made nearly $7 billion in operating income from its parks, experiences and products business last year, making up nearly half of all operating profits. Shares in Disney have fallen by a quarter since the outbreak of the virus.

100,000 Disney theme park, hotel workers furloughed

Via www.nbcnews.com

Some 70,000 laid off Walt Disney World Resort workers have to rely now on Florida unemployment,…

04/20/2020 5:03 PM

 

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Shake Shack is returning the money it received from the government’s stimulus loans program aimed at saving small businesses ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic. Shake Shack received $10 million in forgivable loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which kicked off on April 3. The plan was meant to help small businesses pay employees during the pandemic. However, the fund ran out of money on Thursday.

On Monday, the New York-based fast-food chain announced on Twitter that it’s giving the money back, pointing followers to a statement on Linkedin from two of its lead executives. Shake Shack CEO Randy Garutti and founder Danny Meyer said the company sought the loan because it was supposed to be open to all businesses with 500 or fewer employees. The criteria applies to the chain’s individual franchise locations.

“We’ve decided to immediately return the entire $10 million PPP loan we received last week to the (Small Business Association) so that those restaurants who need it most can get it now,” the executives said. 

Coronavirus economic updates: Shake Shack to return $10M stimulus loan

Via abcnews.go.com

The coronavirus pandemic has quickly evolved from a health care crisis to a financial one,…

04/20/2020 10:34 AM

 

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