Q: I’ve heard that hospitals make more money treating COVID-19 patients, so they are labeling more patients as COVID-positive than they are actually treating for COVID-19. Is this true?
A: This is not true. There is a false rumor circulating that hospitals are misrepresenting COVID patient data to increase federal reimbursements for patient care. It is true that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act increased reimbursements to hospitals for Medicare patients with COVID-19 due to the high cost of COVID-19 patient care. [read more]