In our endless desire to make sure Idahoans have accurate, current, and relevant information about COVID-19, we’re continuing to answer questions we have received through the Department of Health and Welfare’s (DHW) social media accounts, in emails, and in our daily lives as we all live with the coronavirus in our communities. Here are some we’ve collected recently.

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.

However, it is not true that healthcare providers have an incentive to misrepresent a patient’s COVID-19 status. To begin with, a misrepresentation of a patient’s COVID-19 status would be fraudulent, exposing the provider to civil and even criminal liability. 

Second, the clinicians who decide whether to diagnose patients with COVID-19 have no economic incentive to do so. The way physicians in hospital systems are compensated for the services they provide is not based on what Medicare or other payers reimburse the hospital system for the care. A diagnosing physician is paid the same amount for services provided to a patient with or without a COVID-19 diagnosis. 

Third, Medicare’s increased reimbursements typically do not cover the increased costs of providing care to COVID-positive patients. COVID-positive patients often suffer more intense symptoms and potential complications than non-COVID patients. These patients often require a combination of medications and sometimes a ventilator for many days to support breathing. Even COVID-19 patients whose disease does not become more severe require more expensive care, including increased use of personal protective equipment, seclusion, and more rigorous disinfection routines. The modest increase in Medicare reimbursement does not come close to covering the cost of care. 

Finally, Medicare is the only payer that has increased hospital reimbursement for COVID-positive patients. Therefore, for the vast majority of patients under age 65, there is no increase in funding for hospitalized COVID-19 patients.

There is a lot of COVID-19 information available through social media and other communications channels. Some of it is helpful and factual, and some of it is opinion or speculation. And some is just plain false. We want to help you separate the COVID-19 facts from fiction as you navigate through this pandemic.

Is wearing a mask or cloth face covering really helpful? The evidence is clear — cloth face coverings reduce the spread of COVID-19. They serve two purposes: to protect the public from those who may be infected with COVID-19 and to protect those infected with COVID-19 from spreading the disease to others.

Wearing a mask is most effective when everyone does it, and it also shows respect and concern for your neighbors and community. Masks are appropriate when physical distancing of at least six feet is not possible.

Cloth face coverings should not be placed on young children under the age of 2, anyone with difficulty breathing, anyone who is unconscious, incapacitated, or unable to remove the covering without assistance.

Does COVID-19 more severely affect older adults? Yes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as you get older, your risk for severe illness from COVID-19 increases. For example, people in their 50s are at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 40s. Similarly, people in their 60s or 70s are, in general, are at higher risk for severe illness than people in their 50s. The greatest risk for severe illness from COVID-19 is among those aged 85 or older.

There are also other factors that can increase your risk for severe illness, such as underlying medical conditions. By understanding the factors that put you at an increased risk, you can make decisions about what kind of precautions you should take in your daily life.