Thousands of frontline primary care practices, already strapped for cash, are facing wrenching decisions as part of a new financial crisis generated by the novel coronavirus advancing across the U.S. – with little chance of direct help from Congress, as the latest Senate stimulus package passed late Wednesday doesn’t benchmark any funds for independent practices. Independent practices, small businesses that have resisted selling to hospitals despite years of rampant provider consolidation, have already weathered various reimbursement cuts, disadvantageous Medicare facility fees, costly EHR implementations and more, often leaving them with razor-thin margins. Now, practices nationwide worry COVID-19 could push them further into the minority under strain from a dramatic reduction in patient volume as Americans, worried about the virus that’s infected almost 70,000 people in the U.S. and killed more than 1,000, eschew in-office visits.
Read the full article: What about Us?”: Frontline Primary Care Practices Fear for Survival Amid Coronavirus //
Source: https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/independent-frontline-primary-care-practices-covid-19-coronavirus-layoffs-Senate-stimulus-bill/574694