***NON-POLITICAL COVID-19 Discussion Thread***

[JakeF]

A couple of reminders...

Originally Posted by Bwana

Once again, don't come in this thread with some kind of political agenda, or you will be shown the door. If you want to go that route, there is a thread about this in DC.

Originally Posted by Dartgod

People, there is a lot of good information in this thread, let's try to keep the petty bickering to a minimum.

We all have varying opinions about the impact of this, the numbers, etc. We will all never agree with each other. But we can all keep it civil.

Thanks!

Click here for the original OP:

Spoiler!

Apparently the CoronaVirus can survive on a inanimate objects, such as door knobs, for 9 days.

California coronavirus case could be first spread within U.S. community, CDC says
By SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA, JACLYN COSGROVE
FEB. 26, 2020 8:04 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating what could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States,” the CDC said in a statement. “Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The CDC said the “case was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians.”

Officials at UC Davis Medical Center expanded on what the federal agency might have meant by that in an email sent Wednesday, as reported by the Davis Enterprise newspaper.

The patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 and “had already been intubated, was on a ventilator, and given droplet protection orders because of an undiagnosed and suspected viral condition,” according to an email sent by UC Davis officials that was obtained by the Davis Enterprise.

The staff at UC Davis requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, but because the patient didn’t fit the CDC’s existing criteria for the virus, a test wasn’t immediately administered, according to the email. The CDC then ordered the test Sunday, and results were announced Wednesday. Hospital administrators reportedly said in the email that despite these issues, there has been minimal exposure at the hospital because of safety protocols they have in place.

A UC Davis Health spokesperson declined Wednesday evening to share the email with The Times.

Since Feb. 2, more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California, according to the state health department. They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with others as much as possible, officials said.

“This is a new virus, and while we are still learning about it, there is a lot we already know,” Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California.”

It is not clear how the person became infected, but public health workers could not identify any contacts with people who had traveled to China or other areas where the virus is widespread. That raises concern that the virus is spreading in the United States, creating a challenge for public health officials, experts say.

“It’s the first signal that we could be having silent transmission in the community,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. “It probably means there are many more cases out there, and it probably means this individual has infected others, and now it’s a race to try to find out who that person has infected.”

On Tuesday, the CDC offered its most serious warning to date that the United States should expect and prepare for the coronavirus to become a more widespread health issue.

“Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “It’s not so much a question of if, but a question of when.”

According to the CDC’s latest count Wednesday morning, 59 U.S. residents have tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus — 42 of whom are repatriated citizens from a Diamond Princess cruise. That number has grown by two since Messonnier’s last count Tuesday, although the CDC was not immediately available to offer details on the additional cases.

More than 82,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported globally, and more than 2,700 people have died, with the majority in mainland China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

But public health leaders have repeatedly reminded residents that the health risk from the novel coronavirus to the general public remains low.

“While COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate,” the state Department of Public Health said in a statement Wednesday. “From the international data we have, of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, approximately 80% do not exhibit symptoms that would require hospitalization. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date.”

CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities, the flu still poses a greater risk.

Gostin said the news of potential silent transmission does not eliminate the possibility of containing the virus in the U.S. and preventing an outbreak.

“There are few enough cases that we should at least try,” he said. “Most of us are not optimistic that that will be successful, but we’re still in the position to try.”

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by SupDock

in your scenario the only options are intentionally underreporting or overreporting?

Interesting

Uh, no... I said it was inevitable that the combination of no elective surgeries + Covid money would lead to (some) hospitals over-reporting. And that doesn't mean everyone who walks in the door has Covid, but a positive test equals money, so do they really care if they also had terminal cancer?

And given Montocore's statement that over-reporting didn't make sense, I took his post to say under-reporting would make sense.... hey, no Covid here, let's get back to normal!.

So, I simply said if a hospital chose between one or the other, they would over-report before under-reporting.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Uh, no... I said it was inevitable that the combination of no elective surgeries + Covid money would lead to (some) hospitals over-reporting. And that doesn't mean everyone who walks in the door has Covid, but a positive test equals money, so do they really care if they also had terminal cancer?

And given Montocore's statement that over-reporting didn't make sense, I took his post to say under-reporting would make sense.... hey, no Covid here, let's get back to normal!.

So, I simply said if a hospital chose between one or the other, they would over-report before under-reporting.

I hate to break it to people but hospitals are a "for profit" gig. Even the "not for profit" gigs. They depend on revenue and like any other business if they see a way to legally increase revenue they are going to do it.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Hospitals are required to report cases... no idea if there's some kind of penalty for not doing so, but since they have/had no idea when elective surgeries are/were coming back, they might as well go the route of over-reporting and getting money instead of under-reporting and not getting money and possibly getting into deep shit.

Don’t hospitals get audited? Doesn’t the insurance company investigate, not sure how it works for you guys but you can’t just make stuff up without penalties .

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Don’t hospitals get audited? Doesn’t the insurance company investigate, not sure how it works for you guys but you can’t just make stuff up without penalties .

Yep. Giant penalties for hospital billing fraud

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Don’t hospitals get audited? Doesn’t the insurance company investigate, not sure how it works for you guys but you can’t just make stuff up without penalties .

He's talking out of his ass. If a group like JCAHO found malfeasance, they'd strip accreditation and the hospital would lose CMS reimbursement.

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by petegz28

My thing is I don't necessarily care how the hospitals fudge the numbers. I don't. It's how the politicians react knowing the numbers are being played but act as if they aren't.

For example: I have a motorcycle wreck and break some ribs and a leg. I get admitted to the hospital. I get tested by default for Covid. I test positive. I am now "hospitalized" with Covid but not because of Covid.

Unfortunately that doesn't play out when the numbers get reported and if it does the media by an large ignores is because they want the shock factor.

If you test positive for Covid-19, you likely require special resources.

I have no idea how compensation works specifically for Covid-19 cases, but I would imagine that you would require additional resources related to your diagnosis while hospitalized.

Doesn't sound nefarious to me

If you broke your ribs and also had diabetes and hypertension, the hospitalist would charge for management of these conditions, whether or not that was the reason for your admission

[raidersnumber1]

imagine how small somebody's penis is if they get upset at the thought of OTHER people wearing a mask inside a grocery store to protect themselves and others, hurting absolutely nobody by doing that. You hurt muh freedumbz.

[eDave]

Originally Posted by Mecca

Dave is the best gay evil scumbag soyboy marxist globalist beta male elitist asshole poster over there, he trolls the **** out of them and they don't even realize it.

Thanks man.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Don’t hospitals get audited? Doesn’t the insurance company investigate, not sure how it works for you guys but you can’t just make stuff up without penalties .

There are big data analytics that will be able to trace hospitals fraudulently reporting the numbers. If fraud is suspected, it's absolutely reported 100% of the time.

This concept floating around that a guy in a top hat is writing COVID-19 on all these reports while laughing menacingly is amusing.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by SupDock

If you test positive for Covid-19, you likely require special resources.

I have no idea how compensation works specifically for Covid-19 cases, but I would imagine that you would require additional resources related to your diagnosis while hospitalized.

Doesn't sound nefarious to me

If you broke your ribs and also had diabetes and hypertension, the hospitalist would charge for management of these conditions, whether or not that was the reason for your admission

You completely missed the entire point.

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

He's talking out of his ass. If a group like JCAHO found malfeasance, they'd strip accreditation and the hospital would lose CMS reimbursement.

Oh, I certainly have no idea what's taken place, and if I hadn't said it in such plain terms before, it should still be obvious by the wording of my posts that it's all theoretical.

Unless I've mistyped something, I never said or even implied hospitals are actively misrepresenting anything, just that it completely makes sense to do so.

On Black & White Planet though, it becomes "those are the only two choices!!!"

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

Oh, I certainly have no idea what's taken place, and if I hadn't said it in such plain terms before, it should still be obvious by the wording of my posts that it's all theoretical.

Unless I've mistyped something, I never said or even implied hospitals are actively misrepresenting anything, just that it completely makes sense to do so.

On Black & White Planet though, it becomes "those are the only two choices!!!"

For the sake of clarity, I wasn't referring to you in that post, but pete.

[BigBeauford]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

There are big data analytics that will be able to trace hospitals fraudulently reporting the numbers. If fraud is suspected, it's absolutely reported 100% of the time.

This concept floating around that a guy in a top hat is writing COVID-19 on all these reports while laughing menacingly is amusing.

There is also something called the Medicare Fee Service Recovery Audit Program. Their job is to detect and track all 50 states who fraudulently bill to Medicare by auditing huge numbers of charts. It doesnt matter if its 1 or 2 years after the fact, if they find you billed for services that didn't occur, or assigned comorbid status to patients who dont qualify, they will get their money back plus interest.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by BigBeauford

There is also something called the Medicare Fee Service Recovery Audit Program. Their job is to detect and track all 50 states who fraudulently bill to Medicare by auditing huge numbers of charts. It doesnt matter if its 1 or 2 years after the fact, if they find you billed for services that didn't occur, or assigned comorbid status to patients who dont qualify, they will get their money back plus interest.

Ask Black Helicopters what happens when you fraudulently bill Medicare.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

For the sake of clarity, I wasn't referring to you in that post, but pete.

Pete what? I didn't say anything about fraud at all. I said if they were doing something that was legal to increase their revenue what would you expect? The word "legal" seems to fly in the face of your implication that I said fraud. But whatever.