8 in 10 Say Potentially Being Exposed to COVID-19 at Work and Putting Family Members at Risk are Sources of Stress
About 1 in 6 Tested Positive for COVID-19, though Few Experienced Major Symptoms; Those Working in Nursing Homes or Assisted Living Facilities Most Likely to Report Testing Positive
The coronavirus moved us toward a model of health care that works for many people. We shouldn’t go backward.
This past year, telemedicine has been a critical alternative to in-person visits. They’ve helped doctors like me stay connected to patients, a lifeline for some. Many patients, particularly those with mental health struggles, have told me how much easier it is to see me from home, avoiding the hassle of traveling to “see me” in person. Other doctors — psychiatrists, sleep specialists, neurologists, and dermatologists –—have told me similar stories and use telemedicine to manage many conditions remotely, providing needed access for many and sorting out who should be seen in person.
With medical visits picking up again among patients vaccinated against covid-19, health providers are starting to see the consequences of a year of pandemic-delayed preventive and emergency care as they find more advanced cancer and rotting and damaged teeth, among other ailments.
Check back regularly for the latest survey results and updates.
For data from the previous survey, see Round 27 Results.
The Primary Care Collaborative is partnering with the Larry A. Green Center to regularly survey primary care clinicians and patients to better understand the impact of COVID-19 in real time.
Recent polling suggests Black Americans are becoming more open to COVID-19 vaccinations
As the U.S. continues to vaccinate as many Americans as possible to get a handle on the COVID-19 pandemic, recent polling suggests vaccine hesitancy may be falling among Black Americans.
Skepticism of COVID-19 vaccines has been more prevalent among those in the Black community, partly due to a distrust of the federal government and the nation’s history of racism in medical research. One example is the infamous study in Tuskegee, Ala., where the government allowed hundreds of Black men to suffer untreated syphilis for decades for research.
The latest COVID-relief bill passed by Congress, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, includes a range of economic and public health support measures, many of which have implications for patients and primary care practices. The package significantly expands access to health coverage through substantial subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans, as well as COBRA subsidies for the unemployed, and funding to incentivize Medicaid expansion in the 12 states that have not yet pursued it.
The Department for Health and Human Services recently released a new issue brief describing health disparities by race and ethnicity during the COVID-19 pandemic, with findings showing disparities in testing, infections and hospitalizations. COVID-associated death rates were considerably higher among American Indian/Alaska Native, Black and Hispanic persons compared to White persons.
On March 15, CMS announced that it was increasing the Medicare payment for administering COVID-19 vaccines to an average of $40 per dose, up from the previous averages of $28.39 for single-dose vaccines; and $16.94 (1st dose), then $28.39 (2nd dose) for two-dose vaccines. (The exact payment rate depends on the type of entity furnishing the service and geographic adjustments.) And the American Rescue Plan mandated that the federal government now fully cover COVID-19 shots for Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries.
