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Hospitals losing revenue due to COVID-19
hospitals have seen their revenues slashed by COVID-19 and many healthcare heroes are paying the price.
OAKLAND, Calif (KTVU) - We've been hearing complaints from viewers who ask,"Why, if hospitals now have beds available, don't they begin doing elective procedure and surgeries?"
Whether owned by investors or by non-profits, hospitals have seen their revenues slashed by COVID-19 and many healthcare heroes are paying the price.
After weeks of delay, Marvin Halpern may or may not, get a long-awaited, pain relieving hip replacement next week depending on what the coronavirus does to hospitals.
"I've been waiting for pretty close to eight weeks I would say and, again, the reason being non-essential surgeries don't get priority," said Mr. Halpern.
The California Hospital Association says, anything that does not come through the emergency room is considered to be an "elective" procedure, which most hospitals simply are not doing right now.
"That's because hospitals literally emptied their organizations. The emergency rooms, ICUs and beds in the hospital, in order to prepare for treating COVID patients," said Carmela Coyle, CEO of the California Hospital Association.
Coyle also says, because elective procedures were called off, hospitals lost twenty to thirty percent of their revenues.
"Somewhere between 10 and 14 billions of dollars, just in the short run," said Coyle. Hospitals also report, there were at least, another billion dollars of unplanned expenses to prepare for the surge of COVID-19 patients.
"Hospitals have done construction. They have turned regular rooms into ICU rooms. They're turned ICU rooms into negative pressure rooms in order to be able to isolate and protect others," said Coyle.
National Nurses United, is seeing the situation from a different lens, suggesting many hospitals have made billions in profits or have plenty in reserve. "And they're telling us that they can't afford us for this lull and they will regret that decision because that surge is going to come," said Deborah Burger of National Nurses United in the Bay Area.
Even today, nurses protested nationwide that they need more and better personal protective equipment.
"All it takes is one slip and you've exposed yourself to the virus. Then they are putting their families at risk and we believe the employers should acknowledge our contribution," said Burger.
The state is working towards restarting elective procedures and surgeries. And, Uncle Sam should also be protecting hospital paychecks.