LEGAL

COVID-19 related complaints filed in U.S. courts

Of the over 12, 575 COVID-19 related complaints filed in U.S. courts, 501 complaints are healthcare related. According to the daily tracker kept by the law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP, as of Oct. 25, 2021, 501 of the complaints filed were related to healthcare:

• 48 malpractice
• 337 wrongful death
• 12 right to visit nursing home patients
• 104 other healthcare related

New York, California, and Florida have the most complaints filed.

Excelas has exclusive tools specific to COVID-19 defense strategies to address these, as well as other healthcare-related, complaints.

OSHA

Emergency Temporary Standard

The Occupational Safety Health Administration released the emergency temporary standard requiring businesses with at least 100 employees to mandate that their employees:

• get vaccinated against the coronavirus or
• wear a mask and test for COVID-19 on at least a weekly basis

The White House announced the following details:

• All unvaccinated workers must begin wearing masks by Dec. 5 and provide a negative COVID-19 test on a weekly basis beginning Jan. 4, according to the requirements
• The deadline for federal contractors to comply has been pushed back to Jan. 4
• Companies are not required to pay for or provide the tests unless they are otherwise required to by state or local laws or in labor union contracts

Legal challenges to the mandate are expected.

WORKFORCE CRISIS

Staffing concerns are front and center in the daily lives of aging services providers

A LeadingAge pulse survey conducted in the last week of September, helps illustrate what the workforce crisis looks like on the ground. The survey results are useful, particularly given the historic funding allocations currently being negotiated in the Congressional Infrastructure Package that make significant investments to support older adults.

The proposals under consideration would:

• add funding to increase Medicaid reimbursement for HCBS
• establish strategies to strengthen recruitment of aging services workforce
• provide opportunities to expand training directed to our nation’s direct care workers

EDUCATION

What every healthcare provider needs to know to protect its patients, residents, staff, and business.

This limited offer complimentary 60-minute presentation covering 8 key topics with real-time statistics for healthcare providers is a must-see amidst this litigious environment and the uncertain protections of the PREP Act and state liability acts. (click image above for an overview of a presentation)