Researchers examines how policymakers can learn from primary care providers experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic to better support community-based health providers.
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The decisions by private insurers and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services to increase reimbursement rates for telehealth services and the CARES Act s Paycheck Protection Program were widely cited by physicians as pivotal for enabling them to retain staff and remain open.
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The federal Provider Relief Fund did little to help independent primary care practices as a majority of those dollars were directed to hospitals and large health systems.
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Access to personal protective equipment has been a continual challenge for primary care providers, along with clinical hurdles associated with COVID-19 testing and the need to dispel unproven or debunked treatments among their patients.
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Physicians report that anxiety, burnout, and depression continue to negatively impact many primary care practices.