New Jersey Gave Covid Hazard Pay To Ineligible Nursing Home Managers
Eight out of nine senior managers of veterans nursing homes earned too much to get the hazard pay, but received it anyway. Separately, Texas Children's Hospital is giving a 2% pay raise and an extra week's vacation to its entire staff for their pandemic work.
The Wall Street Journal:
Ineligible Nursing Home Managers Received Covid-19 Bonuses
Eight of the nine senior managers who earned too much to qualify for Covid-19-related hazard pay at New Jersey’s state-run veterans nursing homes received it anyway, according to records obtained by The Wall Street Journal. The records show that the state veterans affairs agency misappropriated federal Covid-19-relief funds more widely than it has acknowledged. Agency emails reviewed by the Journal also show that nursing-home managers procured the payments after being repeatedly told that they were ineligible. (Weaver, 6/6)
Modern Healthcare:
Texas Hospital Giving 2% Raises, Extra Week Of Vacation To Staff
Texas Children's Hospital in Houston is giving a 2% raise and an extra week of vacation to its entire workforce for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Our health care heroes' resiliency and determination over the last year was unmatched, and I am so thankful for their dedication to our patients, health plan members and each other," Texas Children's President and CEO Mark Wallace said in a statement. Wallace asked his senior leadership team to continue to support other initiatives that support staff, including recruiting and retaining the best talent, focusing on the mental and physical health of employees and improving diversity, equity and inclusion programs, according to a news release. (Christ, 6/4)
Fox News:
Most Dental Offices’ Patient Volume Nearing Normal, Data Suggests
Dr. Eric Scharf, DDS, told Fox News in an interview that patients began returning last fall, estimating the practice is now in the 90-95th percentile range of pre-pandemic patient volume across offices, with all staff rehired, plus some. The U.S. dental landscape appears to be tracking similar trends, with the latest polling from the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute indicating a greater proportion of dental practices reporting as open and business as usual. As of May 17, 60.9% of 1,712 respondents said that the office was open with business as usual, and 38.4% reported open offices but lower-than-normal patient volume. (Rivas, 6/5)
ABC News:
'Hope And Optimism': NYC Doctors Compare Life Today To City's Brutal 1st Wave
"In terms of patient volume, it's been a dramatic change from what it was last year," said Dr. Syra Madad, senior director of the special pathogens program at the city's hospital system, NYC Health + Hospitals. She described Memorial Day weekend, the first holiday in the U.S. following the lifted mask mandate, as "a breath of fresh air, both literally and figuratively." (Schumaker, 6/6)
KHN:
Trying To Avoid Racist Health Care, Black Women Seek Out Black Obstetricians
In South Florida, when people want to find a Black physician, they often contact Adrienne Hibbert through her website, Black Doctors of South Florida. “There are a lot of Black networks that are behind the scenes,” said Hibbert, who runs her own marketing firm. “I don’t want them to be behind the scenes, so I’m bringing it to the forefront.” Hibbert said she got the idea for the website after she gave birth to her son 15 years ago. (Zaragovia, 6/7)
