Let’s get real for a minute. When discussing the ever-evolving landscape of the various COVID-19 responses in our country, about the only thing that can be said “for sure” is that whatever may be the norm today will – beyond a doubt – change! And while few people actually like change, some changes CAN be more palatable and more easily embraced, than others.
Likewise, SOME change can be a hard pill to swallow…and one of those may be looming on the horizon for Dental professionals. A presidential announcement last week may have not even showed up on your radar since it made absolutely NO mention of Dental providers. However, it did serve as a harbinger of the possible shape of things to COME for anyone who currently receives any sort of federal funding for their services!
In a nutshell, President Biden will attach “vaccination strings” to federal funding for nursing homes:
“Nursing homes participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs will be required to have all staff vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to continue receiving federal funding for the programs…”
Representing the “perfect storm” of highly-vulnerable populations confined to finite spaces, requiring “up-close-and-personal” interactions with residents, nursing homes have accounted for a disproportionately-high percentage of COVID deaths – at a staggering ONE-THIRD of all virus mortalities! So while this seems like a reasonable requirement, it also makes us wonder. Hmmm…what OTHER healthcare facilities also involve non-socially-distanced care? Yep, DENTAL professionals!
If federal Medicare and Medicaid disbursement payments can be tied to staff vaccinations in nursing homes under the CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) Rules of Participation, might Dental practices be next? We’re not trying to be alarmists, but DO want to make sure this current mandate now DOES hit your radar, and allow you to start formulating a plan for your office in the event this does happen.
It also poses some interesting conundrums with regard to federal hiring and employment non-discriminatory practices, not to mention HIPAA regulations guaranteeing personal privacy for our medical profiles. Ironically, we discussed these staffing “Dos & Don’ts” just last month in our blog post…proving once again, the only constant is CHANGE when it comes to COVID-19.
Compounding the situation, even prior to this most recent mandate, nursing homes had faced major staffing issues – with 94% of providers already reporting shortfalls. And they have not been alone in this quagmire, as anyone who has tried to fill open positions in their Dental practices well knows.
It could place practices relying on Medicaid and/or Medicare participation for a significant portion of their income, in that proverbial “between a rock and a hard place” position. Without this federal funding, practices could be forced to close; yet, practices unable to hire or keep staff will be unable to treat patients. So although this is NOT a reality for Dental professionals at this time, it does make us wonder about “vaccination strings” attached to any federal funding, and begs the question: How would vaccination mandates possibly affect staffing in YOUR office?!?