Month: March 2020

Finding the Right Help During the COVID-19 (coronavirus) Outbreak

From Benefits.gov: For More Info, Go Here…

The COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak has presented many challenges for people across the United States. The Benefits.gov Program recognizes the difficulties that many are facing and wants to help citizens find the assistance they need, whether it be unemployment, healthcare, temporary assistance, or food and nutrition.
Benefits.gov hosts information on over 1,000 federal and state benefits and aims to increase the ease of access to assistance programs for people in need. Considering the coronavirus outbreak, Benefits.gov has compiled a list of resources citizens may find helpful. Below you will find assistance programs available for eligible individuals, spanning from food stamps, unemployment benefits, healthcare benefits, emergency business loans, and more.

Unemployment Resources

Healthcare Coverage

Resources for Businesses in Need

Resources for Families in Need

Detroit hospital warns some coronavirus patients may not get ventilators

By Robin Erb, Kelly House: For More Info, Go Here…

Editor’s note: This story was updated on March 27 to make it clear the letter is a draft and was not sent to families or patients. An email newsletter to subscribers from Bridge incorrectly stated the letter was distributed to them.

A draft of policy at Henry Ford Health System suggests the worst of COVID-19 is yet to come — and doctors will have to ration life-saving care and decide who is sick enough to receive a ventilator.

“Some patients will be extremely sick and very unlikely to survive their illness even with critical treatment,” reads the document, which circulated on social media Thursday.

“Treating these patients would take away resources for patients who might survive,” it continued.

The document, which was addressed to patients and their families but not sent to them, instructed providers that some patients, such as those with severe heart, lung, kidney and liver failure, terminal cancers or severe brain trauma and burns may not be eligible for ventilator or intensive care, but “will receive treatment for pain control and comfort measures.”

7 healthcare-related items you may have missed in the $2T coronavirus stimulus package

by Robert King: For More Info, Go Here…

An enormous $2 trillion economic stimulus package includes major requirements for insurers to cover diagnostics and services associated with COVID-19 and gives some flexibility to hospitals.

A major part of the legislation, which passed the Senate in the early hours of Thursday morning and is set to get through Congress by the end of this week, is $100 billion to hospitals to help them meet the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the bill, which includes massive unemployment assistance and help to businesses, includes several other healthcare provisions.

  1. Requiring Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans to allow for refills and fills for up to three months.
  2. Extending healthcare programs through November.
  3. And a number of others…

In the Time of Covid-19, Ventilators Are Scarce. How Do We Decide Who Gets Them?

By Rebecca Epstein-Levi: For More Info, Go Here…

A social ethics expert weighs in on the devaluation of disabled lives during epidemics.

Social Distancing Scoreboard

From Unacast: For More Info, Go Here…

ccording to the World Health Organization and the CDC, social distancing is currently the most effective way to slow the spread of COVID-19. We created this interactive Scoreboard, updated daily, to empower organizations to measure and understand the efficacy of social distancing initiatives at the local level. Please scroll down and explore the data — the more we all understand, the more lives we can save together.

Compare your community’s social distancing activity to its activity prior to COVID-19:

Michigan: -42% change in average distance traveled. Rates an A

End Abuse of People with Disabilities

From VERA: For More Info, Go Here…

COVID-19 is creating new challenges for survivors with disabilities and their service providers. Visit our Sustaining Services for Survivors with Disabilities During COVID-19 page for more information and resources. Read more »

Violence against people with disabilities occurs at alarming rates.

People with disabilities experience violent victimization at rates three times higher than people without disabilities, making them one of the most harmed groups in the country.

Help is out of reach.

People with disabilities are less likely than people without disabilities to receive services that increase their safety and support their healing.

Efforts to reduce abuse of people with disabilities are limited.

Strategies to prevent abuse of people with disabilities are not widespread, and the consequences faced by those who abuse are minimal, allowing this problem to continue.

Syracuse offering interest-free loans to small businesses affected by coronavirus

By ELLEN ABBOTT: For More Info, Go Here…

As the number of cases of the coronavirus continues to grow across the state and region, businesses in central New York that are suffering because of the outbreak will be able to get some help. Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said Thursday the Syracuse Economic Development Corporation will begin offering loans that are interest free for six months, to businesses with less than 50 employees.

“The purpose of the loan fund is to prevent staff reductions, allow business operations to continue, to offset losses related to the coronavirus, COVID-19, and to help companies sponsor pay for sick workers,” Walsh said.

There is $500,000 available for businesses, with the maximum loan capped at $25,000.

“SEDCO allocated $500,000 to provide zero-interest 180 day loans to small businesses, less than 50 employees, with a maximum of $25,000 loans. We expect the typical size to be closer to 10,000,” Walsh said.

If a business doesn’t fit the parameters of this particular loan, Walsh said the city will help locate other state or federal programs that can offer a hand to small businesses.

Paul, Weiss Launches Online Coronavirus Relief Center to Help Those Impacted Financially by Pandemic

From Paul|Weiss: For More Info, Go Here…

New Web Portal Helps Individuals and Small Businesses Access Hundreds of Government and Nonprofit Programs.

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP announced today the launch of its Coronavirus Relief Center (https://www.paulweiss.com/practices/transactional/coronavirus-covid-19-relief-center/), an online portal that will support the millions of Americans and small businesses facing financial devastation due to the economic dislocation caused by the pandemic.

Hundreds of Paul, Weiss lawyers have logged thousands of hours pro bono over the past 10 days collecting, digesting, organizing and synthesizing hundreds of emergency relief programs made available by federal, state and local governments and the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. The resulting new website includes a repository of relief programs searchable by jurisdiction, explanations of eligibility requirements, guidance for accessing benefits, direct links and contact information for those responsible for administering the relief programs, and other resources.

In announcing the initiative, Paul, Weiss Chairman Brad S. Karp declared the firm’s commitment to join with the broader legal and business community to work to provide relief and assistance to those devastated by this national and global crisis. In response to the launch of the Coronavirus Relief Center, numerous law firms, corporate leaders, in-house counsel, not-for-profit organizations and Fortune 500 corporations have reached out to Paul, Weiss about collaborating on the effort to help those most impacted by the pandemic.

“In this time of fear and isolation, it is imperative that the legal profession fulfill its professional obligation to help the most vulnerable members of our society, especially as the impacts of this pandemic will be felt most acutely by those least able to endure financial hardship,” said Mr. Karp. “We are fortunate to have the resources to help those who will be unable to navigate the voluminous new relief programs, sort through complex criteria and ultimately secure the emergency financial relief they need.”

The hundreds of programs covered by the new website provide a range of emergency relief, including opportunities for out-of-work employees to receive enhanced unemployment benefits; provisions enabling certain employees to take sick leave, family leave and avail themselves of other forms of relief for missing work; opportunities for qualifying families to receive emergency cash assistance; opportunities for small businesses to secure grants to cover payroll costs, to apply for zero-interest loans to mitigate lost profits and to receive loans to fund working capital costs; among many other forms of relief.

The web portal will be updated daily to reflect changes to existing programs and to identify new programs, as they become available.

Top Takeaways from Zoom Accessibility Webinar

By Deborah Edwards-Onoro: For More Info, Go Here…

ngd- Since we are all using Zoom…

I attended the Equal Access to Software and Information (EASI) webinar on Zoom Accessibility, which included staff from the University of Washington (UW) and Zoom, a video conferencing service.

From my past experiences, I knew the majority of video conference services/applications weren’t accessible.

So when I heard about the EASI Zoom Accessibility webinar, I knew I didn’t want to miss it.

Of all the webinar/video conference services I’ve used in the past few years, and I use a lot since I attend webinars weekly, Zoom has been the one I’ve liked most.

Why?

Because as an attendee, I don’t have to download or install anything.

All I need to do to join a Zoom webinar is select a link from my phone, desktop, Chromebook, or tablet.

Here are my notes.

Zoom Accessibility Webinar

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PUBLISHES GUIDANCE EXPLAINING PAID SICK LEAVE AND EXPANDED FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE UNDER THE FAMILIES FIRST CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE ACT

From DOL: For More Info, Go Here…

Today, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) announced its first round of published guidance to provide information to employees and employers about how each will be able to take advantage of the protections and relief offered by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when it takes effect on April 1, 2020.

FFCRA will help the United States combat and defeat COVID-19 by giving all American businesses with fewer than 500 employees funds to provide employees with paid leave, either for the employee’s own health needs or to care for family members. The legislation will ensure that workers are not forced to choose between their paychecks and the public health measures needed to combat the virus while at the same time reimbursing businesses.

The guidance – provided in a Fact Sheet for Employees, a Fact Sheet for Employers and a Questions and Answers document – addresses critical questions, such as how an employer must count the number of their employees to determine coverage; how small businesses can obtain an exemption; how to count hours for part-time employees; and how to calculate the wages employees are entitled to under this law.