America’s new normal.
Unemployed, uninsured, unbelievable! The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that 12.6 million Americans are on unemployment rosters around the country; 32.5 percent of the adult population has been jobless for over five months. Of those who are jobless, many remain uninsured. What happens when these individuals are infected with COVID? The answer is simple: the federal government is supposed to cover testing and treatment.
States with the highest uninsured rates are receiving the majority of dollars. How much are we talking about? How does $1.5 billion sound? That’s a pretty penny, though lower than many experts anticipated. QuoteWizard by Lending Tree evaluated data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on claims reimbursement to providers over the course of the pandemic. The study looked at the total funds provided to each state through uninsured claims for testing and treatment. That figure was then divided by the total number of COVID-19 cases for the state, as well as those who are uninsured. Keep in mind that on top of 12.6 million unemployed in the U.S., there are well over ten million cases of the virus, with over 50,000 hospitalizations at present.
States with the highest numbers of uninsured people were among those that received the most funding in COVID-19 reimbursement – in other words, the highest costs per case were associated with states with the highest levels of uninsured individuals. Ten of these states were non-Medicaid expansion states (specifically Texas, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Kansas, Mississippi, Alabama, and South Dakota). New Jersey sat atop the list, followed by North Carolina, Texas, and Tennessee. While the average cost per case was $142, the rate variation between New Jersey and Tennessee was fascinating:
The URL for the list of all states appears on the QuoteWizard site.
I’m unsure what’s more intriguing about these numbers: the variations in treatment and costs per case, or considering how much higher these costs will get? Economic relief packages passed by Congress allocated $176 billion towards reimbursement for hospitals and healthcare facilities.
With the latest COVID wave hitting states with the highest numbers of persons impacted most by the social determinants of health (SDoH), this week’s Monitor Mondays Listeners Survey asked whether there will be sufficient reimbursement by the federal government to pay all submitted claims. The answers may surprise you, and can be viewed here.
Programming Note: Ellen Fink-Samnick is a permanent panelist on Monitor Mondays. Listen to her live reporting every Monday at 10 a.m. EST.
EDITOR’S NOTE Day 3 of the federal shutdown continues. This article by Mark Spivey is part of a special section today published by RACmonitor and
As expected, the federal shutdown began early Wednesday morning. What’s unknown is how long it will continue. Neither congressional Republicans nor Democrats appear to be
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Uncover essential coding insights with nationally recognized coding authority Kay Piper, RHIA, CDIP, CCS. Through ICD10monitor’s interactive, on‑demand webcast series, Kay walks you through the AHA’s 2026 ICD‑10‑CM/PCS Quarterly Coding Clinics, translating each update into practical, easy‑to‑apply guidance designed to sharpen precision, ensure compliance, and strengthen day‑to‑day decision‑making. Available shortly after each official release.
Uncover critical guidance on the ICD-10-CM/PCS code updates. Kay Piper reviews and explains ICD-10-CM/PCS coding guidelines in the AHA’s fourth quarter 2026 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic in an easy to access on-demand webcast.
Uncover critical guidance on the ICD-10-CM/PCS code updates. Kay Piper reviews and explains ICD-10-CM/PCS coding guidelines in the AHA’s third quarter 2026 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic in an easy to access on-demand webcast.
Uncover critical guidance on the ICD-10-CM/PCS code updates. Kay Piper reviews and explains ICD-10-CM/PCS coding guidelines in the AHA’s second quarter 2026 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic in an easy to access on-demand webcast.
Federal auditors are intensifying their focus on inpatient psychiatric facilities, using advanced data analytics to spotlight outliers and pursue high‑dollar repayments. In this high‑impact webcast, Michael Calahan, PA, MBA, Compliance Officer and V.P., Hospital & Physician Compliance, breaks down what regulators are really targeting in IPF-PPS admissions, documentation, treatment and discharge planning. Attendees will learn practical steps to tighten processes, avoid common audit triggers and protect reimbursement and reduce the risk of multimillion-dollar repayment demands.
In this timely session, Stacey Shillito, CDIP, CPMA, CCS, CCS-P, CPEDC, COPC, breaks down the complexities of Medical Decision Making (MDM) documentation so providers can confidently capture the true complexity of their care. Attendees will learn practical, efficient strategies to ensure documentation aligns with current E/M guidelines, supports accurate coding, and reduces audit risk, all without adding to charting time.
Join Ronald Hirsch, MD, FACP, CHCQM for The PEPPER Returns – Risk and Opportunity at Your Fingertips, a practical webcast that demystifies the PEPPER and shows you how to turn complex claims data into actionable insights. Dr. Hirsch will explain how to interpret key measures, identify compliance risks, uncover missed revenue opportunities, and understand new updates in the PEPPER, all to help your organization stay ahead of audits and use this powerful data proactively.
Stay ahead of the 2026-2027 audit surge with “Top 10 Audit Targets for 2026-2027 for Hospitals & Physicians: Protect Your Revenue,” a high-impact webcast led by Michael Calahan, PA, MBA. This concise session gives hospitals and physicians clear insight into the most likely federal audit targets, such as E/M services, split/shared and critical care, observation and admissions, device credits, and Two-Midnight Rule changes, and shows how to tighten documentation, coding, and internal processes to reduce denials, recoupments, and penalties. Attendees walk away with practical best practices to protect revenue, strengthen compliance, and better prepare their teams for inevitable audits.
Happy National Doctor’s Day! Learn how to get a complimentary webcast on ‘Decoding Social Admissions’ as a token of our heartfelt appreciation! Click here to learn more →
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 1 with code CYBER25
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
