What is the impact of losing so many?
As of last week, there have been approximately 1,028,000 COVID deaths in the United States. To offer perspective, that is more people than the entire state populations of Wyoming, Vermont, the District of Columbia, Alaska, both Dakotas, or Delaware.
Could you imagine the impact if our country essentially lost the entire population of one state?
The significance of this overwhelms me as I hop on a plane to travel and see so many people now operating as though it’s business as usual. I too would love to return to normal, and have even had my fair share of laissez-faire approaches to COVID lately. Although last week I was starkly reminded of the seriousness of the situation when my oldest child was sent home from school, sick with COVID.
Just over a year ago, the Biden Administration released $2.25 billion to the states to help with COVID health disparities. The funds were routed through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the form of grants to every state, with additional funding to large city and county health agencies. However, as reported last week by Kaiser Health News, only a small percentage of states have even started using their funds.
The information was startling, as the Biden Administration is now asking for additional funding for COVID relief, even as dollars seem to already be sitting dormant at the state level, not in use. Montana so far has spent some of their funds, although they have used slightly less than a quarter of their total eligible dollars. Missouri has not spent any of its $35.6 million. State officials reported that the slow release of funds to health departments, healthcare organizations, and community agencies has been due to administrative hurdles in the process to obtain and designate dollars to the appropriate entities in need.
So, while state offices and health departments are trying to figure out how to spend their money, the reported cases (which we know are underreported, since home kits have no public reporting mechanism) are up 26 percent nationwide in the last couple of weeks. And about a third of all Americans are now living in an area with medium or high risk rates of COVID. Thank you Omicron and your subvariants! I would urge state agencies, as we continue in the rising tide of COVID and as we head towards the fall cold and flu season, please release the funds – we do not want another variant.
I ask, are you seeing increases in COVID cases in your area? To look at the survey results of this week, please click here.
References:
https://khn.org/news/article/covid-health-disparities-federal-funding-state-spending/
I receive a lot of newsletters every morning to help me stay abreast of what is happening in the healthcare industry. A troubling recent trend
EDITOR’S NOTE Day 3 of the federal shutdown continues. This article by Mark Spivey is part of a special section today published by RACmonitor and
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Breast biopsy procedures may be clinically straightforward but accurately translating them into compliant billing can be anything but. In this focused webcast, Shawn Blackburn, CPC, CPMA, CIC, CRC, CCS-P breaks down how imaging guidance, lesion count, laterality, and payer expectations all impact how these procedures should be reported. Through clear explanations and real-world scenarios, you’ll gain practical insight into aligning clinical workflows with billing requirements, avoiding common pitfalls, and ensuring your documentation supports accurate reimbursement and compliance.
Gain clarity and confidence in OB‑GYN coding with this expert‑led webcast featuring Sherri L. Clayton, RHIT, CSS. You’ll learn how to apply global maternity package rules accurately, select the right CPT codes for procedures and visits, and identify documentation gaps that lead to denials. With practical guidance and real examples, this session helps you strengthen compliance, reduce audit risk, and ensure accurate reimbursement for women’s health services.
Uncover essential coding insights with nationally recognized coding authority Kay Piper, RHIA, CDIP, CCS. Through ICD10monitor’s interactive, on‑demand webcast series, Kay walks you through the AHA’s 2026 ICD‑10‑CM/PCS Quarterly Coding Clinics, translating each update into practical, easy‑to‑apply guidance designed to sharpen precision, ensure compliance, and strengthen day‑to‑day decision‑making. Available shortly after each official release.
Uncover critical guidance on the ICD-10-CM/PCS code updates. Kay Piper reviews and explains ICD-10-CM/PCS coding guidelines in the AHA’s fourth quarter 2026 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic in an easy to access on-demand webcast.
Traditional utilization management models can no longer keep pace with regulatory shifts, payer scrutiny, and operational pressures. In this webcast, Tiffany Ferguson, LMSW, CMAC, ACM, ACPA-C, introduces an Adaptive Model strategy that modernizes UM through role specialization, technology-driven workflows, and proactive, team-based processes. Attendees will learn how to restructure programs to improve efficiency, strengthen clinical collaboration, and enhance financial performance in a rapidly changing healthcare environment.
Federal auditors are intensifying their focus on inpatient psychiatric facilities, using advanced data analytics to spotlight outliers and pursue high‑dollar repayments. In this high‑impact webcast, Michael Calahan, PA, MBA, Compliance Officer and V.P., Hospital & Physician Compliance, breaks down what regulators are really targeting in IPF-PPS admissions, documentation, treatment and discharge planning. Attendees will learn practical steps to tighten processes, avoid common audit triggers and protect reimbursement and reduce the risk of multimillion-dollar repayment demands.
In this timely session, Stacey Shillito, CDIP, CPMA, CCS, CCS-P, CPEDC, COPC, breaks down the complexities of Medical Decision Making (MDM) documentation so providers can confidently capture the true complexity of their care. Attendees will learn practical, efficient strategies to ensure documentation aligns with current E/M guidelines, supports accurate coding, and reduces audit risk, all without adding to charting time.
Join Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, CHCQM for The PEPPER Returns – Risk and Opportunity at Your Fingertips, a practical webcast that demystifies the PEPPER and shows you how to turn complex claims data into actionable insights. Dr. Hirsch will explain how to interpret key measures, identify compliance risks, uncover missed revenue opportunities, and understand new updates in the PEPPER, all to help your organization stay ahead of audits and use this powerful data proactively.
Celebrate Lab Week with MedLearn! Sign up to win one year of our Laboratory All Access Pass! Click here to learn more →
Have a Medicare regulation question you’d love Dr. Hirsch to answer? Now is your chance! CLICK HERE to learn more→
Happy National Doctor’s Day! Learn how to get a complimentary webcast on ‘Decoding Social Admissions’ as a token of our heartfelt appreciation! Click here to learn more →
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 1 with code CYBER25
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
