Ethan Rhodes
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, claims have been made on social media and other websites that hospitals receive additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient's cause of death. However, hospitals do not get more money when they list COVID-19 as a patient's cause of death. While hospitals can receive higher Medicare payments for complex COVID-19-related treatment, these payments are not tied to the patient's cause of death.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Hospitals get extra money for listing COVID-19 as a cause of death | No |
| Hospitals get a bump in payment from Medicare if a patient has a COVID-19 diagnosis | Yes |
| Hospitals receive additional payments to treat Medicare patients diagnosed with COVID-19 | Yes |
| Hospitals receive extra funds when patients die from COVID-19 | No |
| Hospitals over-report COVID-19 cases | No |
| Hospitals make money on treating COVID-19 | No |
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What You'll Learn
- Hospitals do not get more money for listing COVID-19 as a cause of death
- Hospitals get a Medicare bump payment if a patient has a COVID-19 diagnosis
- Hospitals can receive higher Medicare payments for complex COVID-19-related treatment
- Hospitals don't profit from COVID-19 deaths
- There's no evidence of hospitals gaming the system to boost payments
Hospitals do not get more money for listing COVID-19 as a cause of death
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, claims have been circulating on social media and other websites suggesting that hospitals across the country are receiving additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient’s cause of death. These claims have been rebutted by several sources, including the American Hospital Association (AHA), Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
An AHA spokesperson stated that hospitals and health systems do not get paid based on a statement of the cause of death, regardless of what it is. They elaborated that hospitals do get a bump in payment from Medicare if a patient has a COVID-19 diagnosis listed on the bill. This additional payment is meant to recognize the additional costs associated with caring for COVID-positive patients, such as the need for more PPE to protect staff and prevent the spread of the virus.
The CMS spokesperson confirmed that hospitals generally receive additional payments to treat Medicare patients diagnosed with COVID-19, but these payments are not tied to the patient’s cause of death. The KFF spokesperson also confirmed that the additional payment provided by Medicare for COVID-related treatment is unrelated to whether a COVID-19 positive patient died in the hospital. They further debunked claims that hospitals are trying to game the system to get more money, stating that there is no evidence of such behavior.
AHA president and CEO Rick Pollack also refuted the allegations that hospitals are profiting from COVID-19 deaths in blog posts published in September and November 2020. He asserted that hospitals do not receive extra funds when patients die from COVID-19, and they are not over-reporting COVID-19 cases or making money from treating the disease. Pollack emphasized that hospitals adhere to strict coding guidelines and that the use of the COVID-19 code for Medicare claims is reserved for confirmed cases.
In conclusion, hospitals do not receive additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient's cause of death. While they may receive higher Medicare payments for treating COVID-19 patients, these payments are unrelated to the patient's outcome or cause of death.
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Hospitals get a Medicare bump payment if a patient has a COVID-19 diagnosis
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, claims have been circulating on social media and other websites suggesting that hospitals across the country are receiving additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient’s cause of death. These claims have been rejected by several sources. A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) spokesperson confirmed that hospitals do not receive additional payment for COVID-19 deaths. The spokesperson clarified that hospitals generally receive additional payments to treat Medicare patients diagnosed with COVID-19, but these payments are not tied to the patient's cause of death.
Similarly, a Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) spokesperson confirmed that Medicare provides a bump in payment for COVID-related treatment but specified that the additional payment is unrelated to whether a COVID-19 patient dies in the hospital. The KFF spokesperson also debunked claims that hospitals are trying to game the system to get more money, stating that there is "no evidence of hospitals gaming the system to boost payments inappropriately."
Furthermore, the American Hospital Association (AHA) stated that hospitals and health systems do not get paid based on a statement of the cause of death, regardless of what it is. However, they clarified that hospitals do get a bump in payment from Medicare if a patient has a COVID-19 diagnosis listed on the bill. This additional payment is meant to recognize the additional costs associated with caring for COVID-positive patients, such as the need for additional PPE to protect staff and prevent the spread of the virus.
The AHA president and CEO, Rick Pollack, also rejected claims that hospitals are profiting from COVID-19 deaths in blog posts published in September and November 2020. He asserted that hospitals do not receive extra funds when patients die from COVID-19 and are not over-reporting COVID-19 cases or making money from treating the disease. Pollack emphasized that hospitals adhere to strict coding guidelines and that the use of the COVID-19 code for Medicare claims is reserved for confirmed cases.
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Hospitals can receive higher Medicare payments for complex COVID-19-related treatment
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, claims have been circulating on social media and other websites suggesting that hospitals across the country are receiving additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient's cause of death. These claims have been debunked by several sources, including the American Hospital Association (AHA), Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). According to these sources, hospitals do not receive extra money when patients die from COVID-19, and they are not over-reporting COVID-19 cases or making money from treating COVID-19 patients.
However, hospitals and health systems are eligible to receive higher Medicare payments for complex COVID-19-related treatment under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). This includes a Medicare add-on payment of 20% for both rural and urban inpatient hospital COVID-19 patients. The CARES Act was signed into law by former President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020, to provide financial relief to hospitals treating COVID-19 patients.
The AHA spokesperson clarified that hospitals do not get paid based on a statement of the cause of death but rather receive additional funding to treat certain COVID-19 patients. The additional payment from Medicare is meant to recognize the increased costs associated with caring for COVID-positive patients, such as the need for additional PPE to protect staff and prevent the spread of the virus. This distinction is important as it ensures that hospitals are not incentivized to over-report COVID-19 cases or deaths but rather receive appropriate compensation for the complex and costly nature of COVID-19 treatment.
The KFF spokesperson also confirmed that Medicare provides a bump in payment for COVID-related treatment but emphasized that this additional payment is unrelated to whether a COVID-19 positive patient died in the hospital. They further debunked claims that hospitals are trying to game the system to receive higher payments, stating that there is no evidence of such practices. This statement reinforces the idea that Medicare payments are tied to the treatment provided rather than the patient's outcome or cause of death.
In conclusion, while hospitals do not receive extra money for COVID-19 deaths, they can receive higher Medicare payments for complex COVID-19-related treatment under the CARES Act. These additional payments are meant to compensate hospitals for the increased costs and complexities of treating COVID-positive patients and are not tied to the patient's cause of death. This distinction is crucial in ensuring that hospitals are not incentivized to over-report COVID-19 cases or deaths but rather receive appropriate reimbursement for their efforts in treating this challenging and unprecedented public health crisis.
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Hospitals don't profit from COVID-19 deaths
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, claims have been circulating on social media and other websites suggesting that hospitals across the country are receiving additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient's cause of death. These claims have been debunked by several sources, including the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) spokespeople.
According to these sources, hospitals do not receive extra money when patients die from COVID-19. They are not over-reporting COVID-19 cases or making money from treating COVID-19 patients. Hospitals and health systems adhere to strict coding guidelines, and the use of the COVID-19 code for Medicare claims is reserved for confirmed cases. Coding inappropriately can result in criminal penalties and exclusion from the Medicare program.
While hospitals can receive additional funding to treat certain COVID-19 patients, this funding is not tied to the patient's cause of death. Under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), hospitals are eligible to receive higher Medicare payments for complex COVID-19-related treatment, including a Medicare add-on payment of 20% for both rural and urban inpatient hospital COVID-19 patients. This bump in payment from Medicare is meant to recognize the additional costs associated with caring for COVID-positive patients, such as the need for additional PPE to protect staff and prevent the spread of the virus.
In conclusion, hospitals do not profit from COVID-19 deaths. Any additional funding received by hospitals is based on the diagnosis of COVID-19 in patients and is unrelated to the patient's cause of death. The claims that hospitals are profiting from COVID-19 deaths are false and have been debunked by multiple sources.
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There's no evidence of hospitals gaming the system to boost payments
Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, claims have been circulating on social media and other websites suggesting that hospitals across the country are receiving additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient's cause of death. These claims have been rejected by several authorities.
A Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) spokesperson confirmed that hospitals generally receive additional payments to treat Medicare patients diagnosed with COVID-19, but the payments are not tied to the patient’s cause of death. “The additional payment is not tied to whether or not the patient expires in the hospital, or the cause of death if the patient does expire in the hospital,” the CMS spokesperson clarified.
A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) spokesperson also confirmed that Medicare provides a bump in payment for COVID-related treatment, but the additional payment is unrelated to whether a COVID-19 positive patient died at the hospital. The spokesperson also debunked claims that hospitals are trying to game the system to get more money. “There’s no evidence of hospitals gaming the system to boost payments inappropriately,” the KFF spokesperson said.
AHA president and CEO Rick Pollack also debunked claims that hospitals are somehow profiting off of COVID-19 deaths in blog posts published in September 2020 and November 2020. “Hospitals do not receive extra funds when patients die from COVID-19. They are not over-reporting COVID-19 cases. And, they are not making money on treating COVID-19,” Pollack wrote.
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Frequently asked questions
No, hospitals do not receive additional funds for COVID-19 deaths. Hospitals and health systems are eligible for higher Medicare payments for complex COVID-19-related treatment, but these payments are not tied to the patient's cause of death.
Yes, hospitals can receive higher Medicare payments for treating certain COVID-19 patients. This is to recognise the additional costs associated with caring for COVID-positive patients, such as the need for extra PPE.
Claims that hospitals are receiving additional funding for listing COVID-19 as a patient's cause of death have been circulating on social media and other websites since the start of the pandemic in 2020. These claims were fuelled by an appearance from former Minnesota Sen. Scott Jensen on Fox News, in which he alleged that doctors were being encouraged to overcount coronavirus deaths to get more money.
