PECAA is closely monitoring updates and recommendations from public health agencies regarding the global outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), specifically as it relates to the optometric industry, and we are actively working to keep our members informed on steps they can be taking to keep their businesses operating as smoothly as possible.
This webpage will continually be updated with new resources and business-related articles as they become available. Feel free to consume the information at your convenience.
*The information provided to you via this webpage should not be taken as medical or legal advice. Please consult the CDC, your local COVID-19 response teams, and human resources professionals as needed.
Human Resource Materials
Congress Passes COVID Related Relief in HR 133 Consolidated Appropriates Act 2021
H.R. 133 provides a second round of direct economic relief payments, expanded unemployment insurance, $325 billion in small business assistance, $25 billion in rental assistance, a federal eviction moratorium, $13 billion in nutrition assistance, as well as paid sick leave for workers infected with coronavirus or impacted by school closures due to coronavirus.
EEOC Guidance on COVID Vaccinations
Vaccinations Versus Title VII and the ADA
ADA Verification of Physical or Mental Impairment Form
CDC Recommendations for Covid Positive Work Protocol
Small Business Exemption to New Federal Laws
Emergency Family & Medical Leave Expansion Act
Sample Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act
Planning for a Flu Pandemic in the Workplace
Temporary Furlough Sample Letter
Reduction in Hours and Loss of Benefits Sample Letter
Emergency Sick Leave Request for Time Off
*Seek legal council prior to using this templated waiver. We suggest you speak to your insurance provider for business insurance needs.
Practices to Operate Your Business During COVID-19
Employee Return to Work Questionnaire & Acknowledgement
High Risk of COVID-19 Questionnaire
Health & Safety Procedures
CDC Recommendations for COVID Positive Work Protocol
Ordering Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Preparing For Your Financial Future
Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)
New information was released on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).
We encourage you to contact your local bank for details. In the meantime, please view the resources below:
PPP Loan Forgiveness Application
Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Estimator
Paycheck Protection Program Information Sheet: Borrowers
Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness Calculation Form
Checklist for Using SBA From 3508EZ
Preparing For Your Financial Future
Merchant Processing During COVID-19
Information on the Stimulus Bill
Here is a summary of what we know about the package…
Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act
Here is the latest guidance that has been sent to the banks from the SBA.
Banking and Financing
Practices should be reaching out to their financial institutions for potential loan and lease relief programs. We are seeing commercial banks already put in place programs to help practices. PECAA partner Columbia Bank has instituted a 90 day payment deferral plan. Please contact your local lender for further details. There may be opportunities with credit cards and personal loans as well, depending on the institution.
The SBA (US Small Business Administration) has disaster loans available to businesses of all size. Standards have been relaxed this week to help businesses affected by COVID-19. These loans, which can be up to $2 million, are low interest (3.75%) and can be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other debts that can’t be paid due to the COVID-19 impact. Further information can be found at www.SBA.gov/disaster. While currently only a handful of states qualify, expectations are that this list will grow quickly.
SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans
Landlords
We are hearing that some landlords are willing to provide assistance during the time, particularly if your business has closed. Note that this is not widespread at this time, but worth the question for those who have had to close down. Most landlords are going to want to fully understand how the practice’s business has been affected before reducing rent. Common requests would be for the following information:
- Last two years tax returns
- Bank Statements
- 2019 P&L
- 2020 YTD P&L
Having this information ready to send may help expedite the process and increase the likelihood of a reduction. If your practice is within a one year window of lease renewal, now will be a good time to begin negotiations as they will want to maintain good tenants. Should you have any questions regarding your lease, please contact PECAA partner CARR Healthcare Realty. CARR Healthcare Realty provides a full suite of real estate services exclusively to healthcare providers and at no charge to PECAA members.
Where Does Telemedicine Fit In?
A Message From Teri Thurston, PECAA’s Billing & Coding Advisor
Telemedicine gained tremendous traction during the recent practice shutdowns, in which only emergency eyecare was permitted to be provided in-person. Now, many patients, who had never experienced this new way of visiting the doctor, may be open to continuing to do so. Some may even expect the continuation of remote access to their eye doctor.
The most common misconception about telemedicine is that it doesn’t have a lasting place in the OD practice, and is not profitable enough to implement. Through the current health crisis, we’ve seen physicians and patients find benefit in accessing care through telemedicine services. Long-term, telemedicine has the potential in optometry to offer an additional revenue stream by expanding options for care delivery.
Telehealth Billing Codes for Eyecare
*Telehealth Billing Codes for Eyecare provided by PECAA’s newest Vendor Partner, EyecareLive!
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers provided by PECAA vendor partner AmeriBen
Create a list of people (employees and/or customers) who the person may have been in close contact with, close contact is defined by the CDC as less than 6 feet physical distance and the main transmission form is through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. CDC provided factors to consider when defining close contact include proximity, the duration of exposure (e.g., longer exposure time likely increases exposure risk), whether the individual has symptoms (e.g., coughing likely increases exposure risk) and whether the individual was wearing a facemask (which can efficiently block respiratory secretions from contaminating others and the environment). CDC states that data is insufficient to precisely define the duration of time that constitutes a prolonged exposure. Recommendations vary on the length of time of exposure from 10 minutes or more to 30 minutes or more. Brief interactions are less likely to result in transmission; however, symptoms and the type of interaction (e.g., did the person cough directly into the face of the individual) remain important.
Notify other employees who have been in close contact with the person with the positive COVID-19 result that it is possible that they may have been exposed to COVID-19. You may also wish to give them the CDC handout above.
The CDC has stated that if the sick person has been in your facility in the last 7 days, you should follow this Deep Cleaning Protocol.
Exercising Compassion Through Leaves of Absence.
If the pregnant individual is not an employee but an immediate family member or residing in the employee’s house, the employee would only be able to take leave under EPSLA reason #4 if the employee is needed to actually care for the pregnant individual because she can’t care for herself. It is not enough for the employee to merely be concerned about bringing COVID-19 home to the pregnant individual. Department of Labor is clear that the pregnant individual must be unable to care for themselves. Reason #4 is the (A) Employee is unable to perform work for his or her Employer; AND (B) The individual depends on the Employee to care for her; AND (C) The individual has been advised to self-quarantine by a health care provider because of a belief that the individual is particularly vulnerable to COVID-19.
Once EPSLA is exhausted, you have a number of choices regarding extending leave if the employee is the pregnant individual:
- Determine if regular FMLA for a serious health condition applies if the health care provider will fill out the health care certification.
- Determine if there is a discretionary unpaid leave of absence under your policies that applies.
- If employee has a short-term disability policy, encourage the employee to apply to see if the situation qualifies for coverage.
- If the pregnant employee is not necessary to carry on your essential business operations (meaning you have enough other staff to cover and won’t need to fill her position) furlough the employee and she can apply for unemployment benefits to see if she qualifies.
- If the pregnant employee is an essential employee and you will have to fill her position if she refuses to work, terminate her employment and the employee can apply for unemployment benefits to see if she qualifies.
Communication Protocols
Here are some precautions and best practices to begin implementing in your office:
Communicating With Staff
This is a time where over-communication isn’t a concern.
Use these 6 posters provided by the Centers for Disease Control to educate employees and patients on COVID-19.
Why not post them in your breakroom, waiting room and restrooms?
Communicating With Patients
Craft a statement to your patients and post it in your office, on your website, and on your social media pages. If you have the ability to send it as an e-blast or text it, do that too.
Create patient communication scripts for your staff to use. This will help to support staff when confirming appointments and greeting patients. Draft statements such as, “If you feel you have been exposed, or if you are feeling ill in any way, please reschedule your appointment.” Or “If you have a cough, fever, or experiencing breathing problems, we will reschedule your appointment.”
Emphasize Good Hygiene
Place posters that encourage staying home when sick, cough and sneeze etiquette, and hand hygiene at the entrance to your workplace and in other workplace areas where they are likely to be seen. - Provide tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles for use by employees.
- Instruct employees to clean their hands often with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol, or wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Soap and water should be used preferentially if hands are visibly dirty.
- Provide soap and water and alcohol-based hand rubs in the workplace. Ensure that adequate supplies are maintained. Place hand rubs in multiple locations or in conference rooms/break rooms to encourage hand hygiene.
- Encourage employees to visit the coughing and sneezing etiquette and clean hands webpage for more information.
- Routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas and follow the directions on the label.
- Provide disposable wipes so that commonly used surfaces (for example, doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks) can be wiped down by employees before each use.
Actively Encourage Sick Employees to Stay Home
- Employees who have symptoms of acute respiratory illness are recommended to stay home and not come to work until they are free of fever (100.4° F [37.8° C] or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g. cough suppressants). Employees should notify their supervisor and stay home if they are sick.
- Ensure that your Paid Time Off policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of these policies.
- Do not require a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick with acute respiratory illness to validate their illness or to return to work, as healthcare provider offices and medical facilities may be extremely busy and not able to provide such documentation in a timely way.
- Employers should maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member. Employers should be aware that more employees may need to stay at home to care for sick children or other sick family members than is usual.
