['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by carlos3652

You realize that ICU’s at almost max capacity is exactly where hospitals want to be right? That’s what they budget for and where they make max profits.

The problem is when they don’t plan enough because they were told the vaccine would prevent transmission at a higher rate (because it did pre delta) and they didn’t stop elective surgeries.

They are also taking in people into the ICU for issues non covid - but if they asymptomatic they still count towards their numbers.

In a wreck, but test positive with no symptoms - covid in icu.
Took a gunshot wound, but test positive with no symptoms - covid in icu

Almost 60% of the hospitalizations are mild to asymptomatic- think about it for a second

Hospitals don't budget for max capacity because they don't have the staff to handle that kind of patient volume for very long at all. Nursing shortages are at critical levels. I know for a fact of hospital systems that have falsely reported the acuteness of their patients so that they can run with staffing levels that their regulations do not allow them to do. Also, ICU cases are not necessarily profitable in-and-of themselves. If you have people that are self pay or have catastrophic coverage they are still going to be given treatment in line with the severity of their illness. The biggest place where I've seen discussions regarding coverage come into play is placement for people after their acute illness is over--whether insurance will pay for inpatient rehab vs. a nursing home, for example.

COVID isn't necessarily a boon for the budget, either. As a quick example, CMS only reimburses a hospital $500 for a monoclonal infusion.