Tech-savvy fraudsters are filing false insurance claims

With the advent of social distancing, provider services no longer need to originate in a physician’s office, skilled nursing facility or hospital setting. (Photo: Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz/Shutterstock)

The novel coronavirus pandemic continues to devastate the nation’s economy, and the healthcare sector is not immune. Hospital emergency departments and intensive care units in hotspot regions are deluged with critically ill patients, while many routine hospital services have been curtailed or suspended so staff and urgently needed supplies can be reserved for treatment of COVID-19 patients.

Elective care has been essentially eliminated. Hospital and outside physician practices — including primary and specialty offices — have also been disrupted. Chiropractic, physical therapy and rehabilitative practices have either closed completely or are barely operational. Non-essential medical practices have closed or are operating with skeleton crews, reduced hours and seeing few patients. These changes are also having an impact on physician compensation.