Quote of the day
“If we’re going to ask our public servants to fight this pandemic on our behalf, they have to know we’ve got their backs if they get sick. Workers’ compensation insurance was developed to provide our public servants a way to cover a portion of their lost wages and medical costs, so their families don’t have to worry as much. Providing this important coverage to our men and women on the front line is just the right thing to do.”
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis
Coronavirus: Florida extends workers’ comp to ‘frontline state employees’
Florida has started processing workers’ compensation claims from “frontline state employees” who said they contracted COVID-19 on the job, but whether that eligibility extends to “essential workers” remains uncertain. The state joined Washington and Kentucky in March in guaranteeing workers’ compensation eligibility for quarantined first-responders and healthcare workers. The Center Square
Minnesota gov says he’d approve first responders’ access to COVID-19 workers’ comp
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday, March 31, said he’ll greenlight state workers’ compensation for frontline employees including firefighters, police officers, nurses, corrections workers and others working in public health, who contract coronavirus while on the job, if lawmakers don’t. The Minnesota Legislature on Thursday passed a $330 million COVID-19 response bill that didn’t include the measure. Post Bulletin
Minnesota lawmakers consider expanding workers’ comp for frontline employees
Minnesota healthcare employee and first responders last week urged lawmakers to pass changes to the state’s workers’ compensation law. Bills have been proposed in both the Minnesota House and Senate to modify workers’ comp benefits specifically for firefighters. KSTP (St. Paul, Minn.) [with video]
Avoiding fraudulent sales of COVID-19 medical equipment
The FBI is warning the healthcare industry of an increased potential for fraudulent activity dealing with the purchase of COVID-19-related medical equipment. The agency points to suspicious activity including: unusual payment terms (e.g., supplier asking for up-front payments or proof of payment); last-minute price changes; last-minute excuses for delay in shipment (e.g., claims that the equipment was seized at port or stuck in customs); and unexplained source of bulk supply. KTVZ (Bend, Ore.)