"Paying more for liability coverage means higher operating costs for private practices, and is likely to force some local facilities to limit care or even close their doors for good. A 40%t increase in insurance premiums is far more than what many doctors’ offices can afford and will result in some pediatricians, radiologists, and general practitioners leaving their practices and moving to states with a less hostile liability environment."

Read the full article here

1. Physician practices with at least 20% Medicaid patient population are eligible to submit for the bonuses on behalf of eligible employees (listed in the FAQ).

2. 20% Medicaid includes patients enrolled in Medicaid fee for service, Medicaid Managed Care and where Medicaid is secondary.

3. Based upon an e-mail from DOH, the 20% does not include non-Medicaid Child Health Plus, the Essential Plan or Medicare (or other public-supported coverage)

4. The state has not defined what period of time should include the 20%. I think they have left up to the various providers to justify through documentation over some period of time (i.e. 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, etc.)

5. If you can’t complete the documentation for vesting period 1 (employees from 10/1/21 – 3/31/22), for which the submission deadline is today, September 2, you will have another chance to submit for eligible employees in October for Vesting Period 1, in addition to employees for Vesting Period 2 (employees from 4/1/22 – 9/30/22)

6. There are 3 additional employee 6-month vesting periods (5 total) running through March 31, 2024

7. There is a defined formula in the statute for the bonus level for the eligible employees, based upon the number of average hours worked during a 6-month vesting period.

a. 20-30 hours = $500 bonus/vesting period

b. 30-35 hours = $1,000 bonus/vesting period

c. 35 hours or more = $1,500 bonus/vesting period

8. An eligible employee may not receive a bonus for more than 2 vesting periods, with a maximum bonus of $3,000 cumulatively

9. With very limited exceptions, an eligible employee cannot have earned more than $62,500 for a particular vesting period

10. Medical residents and fellows are eligible to receive the bonuses. With some limited exceptions, they remain eligible even if they shifted facilities during a particular vesting period.

Additional resoruces: 
FAQs
https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/providers/hwb_program/

They also want to follow the lead of 16 states who annually index their minimum wage to inflation to keep up with the cost of living.

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In early August, the New York State Department of Health (DOH) announced and opened the New York Health Care Worker Bonus (HWB) Program, which provides $1.2 billion dollars in health care worker bonuses to eligible employees. On August 29, the DOH issued updated guidance and addressed a number of questions raised under the Program. Notably, the DOH is affording employers a grace period for submitting claims for the first vesting period. The first vesting period was previously slated to close this Friday, September 2, but has now been extended to October 31. Employers impacted by this Program should review the updated FAQs and consult with employment counsel to ensure compliance with the requirements of the complex processes involved.

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The New York State Legislature passed two bills aimed at easing medical debt back in May, and a new report indicates they are much needed.

The first bill bans medical liens and wage garnishment; the second regulates the billing of so-called "facility fees," and requires that patients be informed about those fees upfront.

In a report on hospital debt, the Community Service Society of New York found that 112 nonprofit hospitals sued more than 53,000 patients across the state between 2015 and 2020.

Dr. Elisabeth Benjamin, vice president of health initiatives with the CSSNY, said she thinks facility fees help hospitals get money from people when they aren't supposed to be charged.

Read the full article here

Labor unions hoping for permanent workplace safety standards to protect healthcare staff from COVID-19 infections in the workplace were dealt a blow Friday when an appeals court denied an emergency petition they filed.

Unions pushed heavily for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to implement a federal emergency temporary standard for medical facilities amid shifting guidance from national and local agencies through the first year of the pandemic.

OSHA did so in June 2021 with a rule mandating hospitals and other healthcare facilities follow requirements around ventilation, physical barriers and other protections intended to reduce virus transmission.

In December, the agency then announced it would withdraw the rule though it was working toward a permanent regulatory solution while considering broader infectious disease rulemaking.

As part of its 2023 state budget, New York State has allocated $1.2 billion for the payment of bonuses to certain frontline healthcare workers. This bonus program is intended to reward healthcare workers for their services during the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote employee retention and recruitment in the healthcare sector. Qualified employers who wish to participate in the program must submit claims for bonus payments for all of their qualifying employees.

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"The New York State Department of Labor clearly states that an employer may not discriminated against any employee who uses cannabis so long as the use is taking place outside of the workplace, outside of work hours, and without the use of any of the employer's equipment or property. Any employer who discriminated against an employee who smokes pot would be a violation of federal law."

"Employers are allowed to create policies which would prohibit employees from performing any and all job duties while impaired by cannabis."

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More than 2,300 monkeypox cases have been reported in New York City.

New York City officials are holding a town hall Monday to discuss the ongoing monkeypox outbreak as cases continue to climb and thousands of vaccine appointments over the weekend were swept up within minutes.

Currently, there are more than 2,300 confirmed cases in the Big Apple with Manhattan having the most at 917, according to data from the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

Watch the town hall coverage by ABC News here here

On August 11, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) once again revised its public health recommendations regarding COVID-19 prevention measures in general community settings, including non-healthcare workplaces. In doing so, the CDC acknowledged that “COVID-19 is here to stay,” and seemed to shift its focus from viral containment to lessening the risk of severe illness and death associated with the virus. Chief among these changes is the CDC’s removal of its quarantine recommendation – individuals are no longer advised that they should quarantine following close contact exposure to COVID-19, regardless of their vaccination status, where they do not experience symptoms or test positive.

Read the full article here and the separate recommendations for healthcare professionals here.