COVID-19 Positive cases: 1242*
COVID-19 related deaths: 39
Recovered COVID-19 cases: 189
Data from Tarrant County Public Heath’s (TCPH) report of COVID-19 activity in Tarrant County, updated Sunday, April 19, 2020. Find more COVID-19 information from TCPH here.
* These data are provisional and are subject to change at any time.
Deaths and recovered cases are included in total COVID-19 positive cases.
COVID-19 Positive cases: 1229*
COVID-19 related deaths: 38
Recovered COVID-19 cases: 188
Data from Tarrant County Public Heath’s (TCPH) report of COVID-19 activity in Tarrant County, updated Saturday, April 18, 2020. Find more COVID-19 information from TCPH here.
* These data are provisional and are subject to change at any time.
Deaths and recovered cases are included in total COVID-19 positive cases.
TMLT policyholders will receive an additional 10 percent premium dividend credited to their accounts. The dividend — approved by the TMLT Board of Governors in an emergency meeting — gives immediate financial relief to TMLT policyholders hit hard by the COVID-19 public health crisis. The dividend will provide policyholders approximately $13 million of additional relief in 2020 premium.
The amount of each policyholder’s dividend will be based on his or her in-force premium amount as of March 1, 2020.
The dividend is designed to help physicians experiencing financial difficulties that come with shelter-in-place orders and directives to postpone procedures. “This is not business as usual,” says TMLT President and CEO Robert Donohoe. “Doctors are wondering how they’re going to stay in business. This dividend can offer some relief to the enormous pressure physicians are now facing.”
The COVID-19 special dividend is in addition to dividends previously declared for TMLT policyholders. The COVID-19 special dividend will be effective immediately and applied to their next premium invoice.
Since TMLT began its dividend program in 2005, TMLT policyholders have saved approximately $329 million.
COVID-19 Positive cases: 1175*
COVID-19 related deaths: 35
Recovered COVID-19 cases: 187
Data from Tarrant County Public Heath’s (TCPH) report of COVID-19 activity in Tarrant County, updated Friday, April 17, 2020. Find more COVID-19 information from TCPH here.
* These data are provisional and are subject to change at any time.
Deaths and recovered cases are included in total COVID-19 positive cases.
By Luke Ranker
Originally published by Star-Telegram.
North Texas hospitals are readying themselves for a potential surge in novel coronavirus patients expected by June, but private practice physicians and specialists are facing a different challenge — a steep drop in patients and a decline in revenue that may force them to make hard decisions.
Fort Worth area doctors say they’re seeing as little as half as many patients as they did before the coronavirus, but Dr. David Fleeger, president of the Texas Medical Association, said the decline could be as high as 80% for some doctors. Fear of catching the virus has kept patients from visiting their primary care physician, and local and state mandates have shuttered many specialized practices.
Across the country as many as 60,000 family practices will close or reduce business by June, according to a HealthLandscape and American Academy of Family Physicians report. That would leave roughly 800,000 of their employees without work or on reduced hours and create doctor shortages in at least 750 counties. Tarrant County wouldn’t face a shortage, according to the report, but Parker and Johnson counties would.
That’s bad news for patients, said Fleeger, as the loss of private practice doctors now jeopardizes care in the long term.
“The question will become access,” he said. “Private practice doctors spread care out over a larger geography.”
While most health care workers may be able to find jobs with large hospital networks, that care is centered in major metros, typically at hospital hubs. Rural and suburban patients may find it hard to get to the doctor. About 10% of Texas doctors work for a hospital while 34% are self-employed, according to a recent Texas Medical Association survey.
While the Texas Medical Association didn’t have hard numbers, Fleeger said he’s heard from dozens of practices that have furloughed or laid off staff, including nurses and medical assistants. He suspected there were “thousands” of unemployed health care workers in Texas.
“It’s safe to say most practices in Texas are in the red right now,” Fleeger said. “There are practices whose viability is definitely in question if this continues.”
Independent doctors in the Fort Worth area, like restaurant owners, are trying to pluck along without reducing staff.
Dr. Greg Phillips, who has an office in Fort Worth’s medical district and sees patients at two hospitals, would typically have around 25 patients a day in person before coronavirus. Now he sees less than 20, with many patient contacts done via a phone call or video chat.
With the drop in patients, Phillips has seen a decline in revenue, placing the possibility of furloughs or layoffs in the back of his mind. His office has six full-time employees between the office and medical staff.
Fear of coronavirus have caused a significant reduction in healthcare visits and both physicians and their patients are feeling the impact. Melanie Lagomichos, DO, shows Star-Telegram that one way to combat this is through the use of telemedicine.
As a part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has distributed $30 billion to Medicare-enrolled physicians and providers through direct deposit disbursements.
These relief funds came at a critical time and do not need to be paid back, but attestation is required within the first 30 days of receipt of payment (it will be labeled “stimulus payment” or ”HHSPAYMENT”). Find the link to provide Medicare payment attestation here. The only information you will need to complete the process is the tax ID, the last six digits of the account in which it was deposited, and the amount of the deposit.
To find more support for your practice, review TMA’s Practice Viability Toolkit, which provides the most up-to-date information and resources available.
Tarrant County Public Health (TCPH) today reported four more deaths due to COVID-19. The deceased include a male in his 60s and a male in his 40s, both from Fort Worth, a male in his 40s from Mansfield and a male in his 60s from an unincorporated area of Tarrant County. All had underlying health conditions.
Tarrant County now has 34 confirmed deaths from the COVID-19 virus. 157 people have recovered. “These deaths continue to remind us that we are faced with a deadly disease,” said Tarrant County Public Health Director Vinny Taneja. “As we suffer these losses we also are mindful of how important it is for us to continue our efforts to control the spread of this deadly virus.”
COVID-19 causes respiratory illness with cough, fever, and shortness of breath, and may lead to bronchitis and severe pneumonia. Everyone should follow these guidelines to protect themselves from the COVID-19 virus:
For more information go to coronavirus.tarrantcounty.com or call the Tarrant County Public Health information line, (817) 248-6299, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
COVID-19 Positive cases: 990*
COVID-19 related deaths: 30
Recovered COVID-19 cases: 157
Data from Tarrant County Public Heath’s (TCPH) report of COVID-19 activity in Tarrant County, updated Wednesday, April 15, 2020. Find more COVID-19 information from TCPH here.
* These data are provisional and are subject to change at any time.
Deaths and recovered cases are included in total COVID-19 positive cases.
COVID-19 Positive cases: 929*
COVID-19 related deaths: 29
Recovered COVID-19 cases: 103
Data from Tarrant County Public Heath’s (TCPH) report of COVID-19 activity in Tarrant County, updated Tuesday, April 14, 2020. Find more COVID-19 information from TCPH here.
* These data are provisional and are subject to change at any time.
Deaths and recovered cases are included in total COVID-19 positive cases.
Tarrant County Physician Online 