My Dad tested positive for Covid and now his Home Care Company wants to charge us an extra $18.00 per HOUR for his caregiver for 10 days. This is on top of the $30.00 per hour they already charge. There is nothing in the Agreement I signed with them about a Covid “surcharge” nor did anyone tell me about it when I signed with them. I am arguing with them and have gotten to the VP level but I am not hopeful they will remove it.
Has anyone had this happen to them? If so what did they charge you and for how long? Thank you for any information and/or insight into this.
Ironic since many commenting here are so callous about unvaccinated people being denied medical care or access to a skilled nursing facility if they won't get forcibly vaccinated.
So covid surcharges are bad but denying medical care to unvaccinated people is good. You just can't make this stuff up.
Tell them to explain the reason for this increase? Simply stating because he has Covid is B.S. How will his care change in any way?
Ask if they will stop charging that additional fee once he tests negative.
I'm going to be buying a car in the next month or so and I'd like to be prepared with legal background if I run into this issue.
costcutting across the board....
This does offer some information, but it's not entirely on point:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic
I searched also on "workers' rights", assuming that the facility is basing its surcharge on that issue. This doesn't address your concern from the other side, but it might provide some insight into dealing with the admins and asking/demanding for detail on how the surcharge was calculated. (I'm assuming it's based on worker safety, not medicine costs.)
https://www.findlaw.com/employment/workplace-safety/my-work-is-unsafe-because-of-covid-19--what-are-my-rights-.html
Also, if you go to the top of the findlaw page, you'll find a help bar. You can enter your data and get responses from attorneys, who really are the only ones who can address your question on the basis of your legal rights.
This also might help:
Healthcare Workers: Information on COVID-19 | CDC
You'll want to search for a health care attorney (not a medical malpractice one).
I can't search for you as I don't know the state in which you live.
Or, you could call one of your state or federal representatives' offices and ask them; as elected people they SHOULD have answers or references to this kind of question.
Do they charge extra for pneumonia, gastroenteritis, clostridium difficile, influenza, skin and soft tissue conditions, mrsa? Therefore the jabbed staff gave it to him. Are they charging them $18 per pos+ person for spreading it, or docking them per hour bc they have to stay home and quarentine?
It is THEIR FAULT he came up positive. Therefore they pay.
I would ask do they charge extra for the flu? For m-s-r-a, for diabetes, for heart attack, for shingles, or pneumonia?
I think CW's suggestions are probably on the right lines, except that all home care workers should be wearing full PPE and practising infection prevention and control at all calls anyway, regardless of the client's Covid status; and if the company claims that workers are not sent to Covid negative or shielding clients if they're also supporting Covid positive ones I hope they can prove it (and privately I'll eat my hat).
If you're in mischievous mood, you could also ask what the company's vaccination policy is - whether they're making it mandatory and if so are they also paying for workers' vaccinations, for example.
Send a certified letter to the president of them company and demand immediate removal of the charges. In addition, still call the justice department and turn them in. They are not doing this only to you but everyone.
Lastly, call the local news stations. They would love this story!
Keep fighting it. I’m sure it is to cover the PPE and other precautions that they have to take, but if they aren’t smart enough to put it in their contract, then that expense falls on them.
If they do not drop the fee when he tests negative I would have a "discussion" with the agency. (read that as looking for another agency)
Talking about extra fees due to COVID, my daughter purchased a car recently and there was an extra fee added due to COVID, I was at a restaurant a few weeks ago and they had an added % on the bill due to COVID, it did mention in fine print that it would be removed upon request, so I would think that this is an across the board fee structure a lot of places are adding or going to add.