Hospitals compensated 15% more for COVID-19 patients under the stimulus package and New York City hospitals are inflating their coronavirus numbers.
The claim appeared as a post (archived here) where it was published by Sheri Sunshine on Facebook on April 16, 2020, under the title "#Incentives #FollowtheMoney." It opened:, This is what the post looked like on Facebook at the time of writing:, , , "The post claims that within the $2.2 trillion stimulus package, hospitals are receiving a huge increase in the money theyre given per COVID-19 patients. In response, according to the post, hospitals are reporting larger numbers of coronavirus patients to further boost their funding.", This is misleading. There is language in the bill that says hospitals will be compensated 15% more for COVID-19 patients, but there is no evidence to prove that NYC hospitals are inflating their numbers., The Facebook post echoes a tweet by Candace Owens on April 14, which traveled quickly, getting more than 14,000 likes and 6,500 shares:, Every time a hospital admits, discharges, or loses a patient to Covid-19, they are compensated 15% more according to the CARES ACT, SEC 4409. NYC was facing a hospital budget crisis and you fixed it for them. They are inflating all of their #coronavirus numbers. https://t.co/sH1N18lpfB, The posts are correct on the payments to hospitals, according to pages 188-189 of the bill. Here is the language:, Sec. 4409. Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system add-on payment for covid-19 patients during emergency period., SEC. 4409. MEDICARE HOSPITAL INPATIENT PROSPECTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEM ADD-ON PAYMENT FOR COVID-19 PATIENTS DURING EMERGENCY PERIOD. (a) IN GENERAL.--Section 1886(d)(4)(C) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(4)(C)) is amended by adding at the end the following new clause: \\(iv)(I) For discharges occurring during the emergency period described in section 1135(g)(1)(B), in the case of a discharge that has a principal or secondary diagnosis of COVID-19, the Secretary shall increase the weighting factor for each diagnosis-related group (with such a principal or secondary diagnosis) by 15 percent. \\(II) Any adjustment under subclause (I) shall not be taken into account in applying budget neutrality under clause (iii).\\. 23 (b) IMPLEMENTATION.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may implement the amendment made by subsection (a) by program instruction or otherwise.", Still, there is no evidence that NYC hospitals, or any hospitals, are inflating coronavirus numbers., Consider the quick rise in cases in NYC: The New York Times reported April 10 that:, Officials had estimated that 140,000 hospital beds might be needed to treat coronavirus patients. Only about 18,500 were in use by week\s end."., "However, a week later, deaths and new coronavirus cases there have continued to rise, and dramatically. The citys heath department reported 12,199 people have died from coronavirus as of April 17, and the number of confirmed cases there was 122,148.", According to CBS News report, President Trump on April 15 also accused New York of inflating coronavirus numbers. But he, too, offered no evidence. The report read, in part:, "President Trump suggested Wednesday that New York City is artificially inflating its coronavirus death toll, after a revised count added more than 3,700 fatalities to the citys tally. His accusation drew disgust from the mayors office -- which reminded the president that hes talking about human beings with grieving families -- and bewilderment from New Yorks governor.", "I see this morning where New York added 3,000 deaths because they died," Mr. Trump said during his White House press conference, rounding down the number of new deaths. "Rather than heart attack, they say heart attack caused by this.", "If you look at it, that is it," he added. "Everything we have is documented and reported great. What they are doing is just in case -- that is OK. We have more cases because we do more reporting.", CBS News noted NYC reported the deaths of 3,778 people "who were never tested or hospitalized for the virus, but whose death appeared to be due to COVID-19 symptoms. The death certificates for these victims list the cause of death as "COVID-19 or an equivalent.", Lead Stories is working with the CoronaVirusFacts/DatosCoronaVirus Alliance, a coalition of more than 100 fact-checkers who are fighting misinformation related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more about the alliance here., Alexis Tereszcuk is a writer and fact checker at Lead Stories and\xa0an award-winning journalist who spent over a decade breaking hard news and celebrity scoop with RadarOnline and Us Weekly.\n\nAs the Entertainment Editor, she investigated Hollywood stories and conducted interviews with A-list celebrities and reality stars. \xa0\n\nAlexis’ crime reporting earned her spots as a contributor on the Nancy Grace show, CNN, Fox News and Entertainment Tonight, among others., Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, deceptive or\n      inaccurate stories (or media) making the rounds on the internet.\n      \n      Spotted something? Let us know!., Lead Stories is a fact checking website that is always looking for the latest false, deceptive or\n        inaccurate stories (or media) making the rounds on the internet.\n        \n        Spotted something? Let us know!.
Fact Check: Some Hospitals Compensated For COVID-19 Patients Under Stimulus, But NO Evidence NYC Hospitals Inflating Coronavirus Numbers | Lead Stories