covid-19 Archives - С��ñֱ��app

House committee clears bill to expand lawsuits against employers

Taylor Hersch — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 20:55:38 +0000

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday passed a bill that opponents say will lead to increased civil litigation against employers.

At issue was HB 2043, a bill sponsored by state Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott, which would allow an employee to recover no less than $500,000 if their employer denied a religious exemption and required the employee to receive a Covid-19 vaccination as a condition of their employment and the person suffered a significant injury.

A representative of the Arizona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce & Industry says the state’s workers’ compensation system already offers employees an avenue to address claims against employers, while existing state and federal statutes protect against religious discrimination. According to bill opponents, Nguyen’s legislation risks encouraging more civil lawsuits.

“We are opposed to this or any other legislation that would provide for a private right of action outside of the workers’ compensation program,” С��ñֱ��app Vice President of Government Affairs Courtney Coolidge said. “Legislation that provides a new way to sue businesses is a step backwards.”

Mike Huckins, vice president of public affairs for the Greater Phoenix С��ñֱ��app, agreed, saying the legislation contradicted legislation passed into law last year intended to limit pandemic-related liability.

“The bill passed last year was reasonable and a model for the country and we should be proud of it,” Huckins said. “Businesses are each individually doing the best they can to protect their employees.”

But Rep. Nguyen disagreed.

“This is not about whether you should take the vaccine or not,” Nguyen said. “There is no one in this room or in the business community that is going to tell me what goes in my body, what goes on with my soul, and how legitimate my religion is.”

Tom Savage, testifying on behalf of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, said the bill’s attempt to link the denial of a religious belief and a potential adverse health outcome was unclear.

“The bill is confusing (in) that it tends to relate the two,” Savage said. “Religious exemption is not related to the potential health concerns from Covid-19 vaccines.”

Barbara Jennings testified in favor of the bill.

“I think this bill is so important because right now we lack anything to protect employees,” Jennings said. “We see now that these jabs make no difference. People will never feel the pain if they are not held accountable.”

to the Arizona Department of Health Services, the unvaccinated are 17.5 times more likely to be hospitalized and 31.1 times more likely to die from Covid-19 than the fully vaccinated.

HB 2043 and bills like it this legislative session sponsored by Republicans have resulted in strange political bedfellows, with Republicans siding with interest groups and activists that traditionally advocate for greater governmental control over workplace policies.

The American Tort Reform Association, the nation’s leading civil justice reform group, has noted the flip-flop by lawmakers who are usually resistant to efforts to create new avenues to litigation.

“Conservative lawmakers traditionally oppose such liability-expanding initiatives, but in this case they’re leading the charge,” ATRA President Tiger Joyce wrote in an opinion in The Wall Street Journal. “It’s regrettable to see past proponents of civil-justice reform take such a turn. America is already litigious enough.”

The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this month blocked an attempt by the Biden administration to require employers of 100 more employees to require their employees to be vaccinated or be subjected to regular testing. Facing long odds of success in the lower courts if the administration were to continue to press its case, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Monday withdrew its proposed rule.

“Just as we didn’t want the federal government to tell employers how to run their businesses, we don’t want state government to tell employers what their policies ought to be, either,” Coolidge said.

The bill passed 5-4, with all of the committee Republicans supporting the bill and all the Democrats opposing.

Groups opposing the bill included the state chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business, Arizona Academy Of Family Physicians, the Health System Alliance of Arizona, the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association, and chambers of commerce from across the Valley and Flagstaff.

The bill heads to the Rules Committee and will then be considered by each party’s caucus before it’s taken up by the full House of Representatives.

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This Week in Washington

Guest Contributor — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:41:44 +0000

Latest news from Washington, D.C. produced by Total Spectrum/SGA exclusively for members of the Arizona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce & Industry

More Info: Michael DiMaria | Partner and Vice President of Business Development | 602-717-3891 | mdimaria@totalspectrumsga.com

Happy New Year. Thanks for your interest in Washington, D.C. and thanks for reading This Week in Washington.

Once a year I restate our vision of providing an accurate view into Congressional activity, the Administration’s actions, and national politics exclusively for members of the Arizona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce and Industry. My perspective is as of a Republican, as is that of . provides his perspectives as a Democrat.

This week’s Heard on the Hill is a benchmark report on where Republicans and Democrats are as we start a reelection year. It focuses on Senator John Thune’s decision to run for reelection, and how this election year could have been impacted if he had announced his retirement. Our friend provides his monthly Defense Update, and shares the schedule of hearings and happenings on Capitol Hill.

We’ll be back in two weeks for the next issue of This Week. Stay well.

Total Spectrum Managing Director

Heard on the Hill

By n, Total Spectrum Managing Director

Happy, Healthy, and Successful 2022.

I greatly enjoyed being in Arizona last week and attending the Arizona С��ñֱ��app’s Legislative Forecast Luncheon. Let’s start the year in Washington by reviewing where we are with about 10 months until the mid-term election.

Democrats have their backs against the wall. President Biden’s agenda is stuck in the mud. Majority Leader Schumer can talk about breaking the Senate’s filibuster rules, but he doesn’t have the votes in his own caucus. My guess is that Democrats will have to stop swinging for home runs and start hitting for singles and doubles. Small victories are still victories. We’ll see how that develops.

Republicans start the year with momentum. The off-year election generally bounces against the President’s election… and 2022 is unlikely to be an exception.

The House looks like it will go Republican in November. My old friend Charlie Cook at the Cook Political Report with Amy Walter said in a January 6, 2022 that “it would seem to take divine intervention, Republican self-destruction, or both to save the House Democratic Majority.” The big factors are Congressional redistricting, the number of Democratic incumbents retiring, the economy and inflation, and the President’s current polls. It has never been fun serving in the House of Representatives as a member of the minority party, and the number of Democratic Congressmen who now want to spend more time with their families tells the whole tale.

The Senate is currently 50-50, so it won’t take much of a wave election to knock the status quo off kilter.

Another great friend of mine is Nathan Gonzales, the publisher of Inside Elections. Nathan said in his January 7, 2022 report that “…Senate Democrats have no room for error. They probably can’t afford to lose even one of their own seats in a challenging environment where President Biden’s job approval rating has leveled off at mediocre.” Nathan also pointed out the historical trend in off-year elections, noting that there have been 27 midterm elections since 1913, when the 17^th Amendment was ratified which allowed for the direct election of Senators. The President’s party gained Senate seats in six off-year elections, broke even in two, and lost seats in 19.

Senator John Thune – some background, and a personal disclaimer.

It goes without saying that the President and the Democratic Congressional leadership are looking for ways to start bending the curve and move momentum in their direction. Republican leaders have been working to retain their incumbents and put themselves in position to win in November – so everyone on Capitol Hill over the past five or six months has wondered if Senator John Thune (R-SD), the Republican Whip –the second most senior Senator in the Republican caucus – was going to retire or run for reelection.

John Thune grew up in Murdo, South Dakota, a wide spot on a narrow road. He was a bright student who was also a great athlete, and he was marked for success in his hometown. John earned a bachelor’s degree at Biola University and later a master’s degree in business administration at the University of South Dakota. John got his start in politics as a staff member for U.S. Senator Jim Abdnor (R-SD), who was defeated for reelection by Tom Daschle, who eventually became the Senator Majority Leader.

John Thune went on to serve in various key roles, including a presidential appointment with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the executive director of the South Dakota Republican Party, and then the executive director of the South Dakota Municipal League. John Thune became Congressman Thune in January 1997 and won reelection in 1998 and 2000.

He made a pledge to only serve three terms in the House of Representatives, so John decided to challenge Tim Johnson, South Dakota’s junior Senator in 2002. John lost that race by less than 1,000 votes – a race where I was the fundraising consultant. John was then asked to consider the near impossible task in 2004 of defeating a sitting Senate Majority Leader. John Thune did indeed defeat Senator Tom Daschle in a race that probably went better than 2002 because I was not involved. Senator Thune glided to reelection victories in 2010 and 2016.

Senator Thune has previously served as Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, and Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. He was elected by his peers in 2020 to be the Republican Whip, the number two position in Republican Senate Leadership.

Senator Thune, Senator John Barrasso (WY), and Senator John Cornyn (TX) are the conventional choices to become Republican Senate Leader when Mitch McConnell retires. But Senator Thune was very non-committal all last year about whether he wanted to run for reelection in 2022 – a run he would surely win in a walk.

I was often asked in 2021 for my opinion whether he would stay in the Senate. My reply was consistent – he will run because Senator Thune has a genuine desire to serve. But a great number of people became concerned as summer turned to fall and the Senator started to look pained and unhappy. Leader McConnell made a public statement in December that he wanted Senator Thune to continue in the Senate, which meant that the Leader and other Republican Senators were putting real pressure on him.

Last Saturday Senator Thune announced that he would indeed stand for reelection in November.

South Dakota is solidly red, so the seat would not have been in peril if Senator Thune had retired. But political waves are built on good candidates, great timing, a dash of good fortune, and momentum. There’s little question Senator Thune leaving the Senate would have created a speed bump for that momentum.

2022 so far has the potential to be a strong Republican cycle.

Defense Update

By Al Jackson, Total Spectrum Strategic Consultant

After months of debate, the Senate voted in December 88-11 to pass the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes $740 billion in spending for the Department of Defense in Fiscal Year 2022. This will be the 61^st consecutive year this legislation has passed both Houses of Congress and sent to the President for signature.

The legislation contains an annual 2.7% pay raise for members of the armed services and increases spending at a level $25 billion more than the administration’s request. The measure also overhauls how certain sexual misconduct crimes are prosecuted under military rules. To ensure passage, the negotiators of the final version dropped language that would have added women to the Selective Service System for potential future conscription. The language was evident in both NDAA versions in the House and Senate but was deemed too controversial for the final bill.

To the dismay of some, including Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the bill does not go far enough in reforming how the military handles serious crimes. Senator Gillibrand voted against final passage in protest of the omission of stronger language. Instead, in the final bill, the Department of Defense would be required to create an independent prosecutorial office within each service to handle serious crimes, including rape, sexual assault, murder, manslaughter, and kidnapping. Senator Gillibrand vowed to pursue this topic again in the FY2023 NDAA bill, as she and others desire for all serious non-military crimes to be taken out of the traditional military chain of command.

Because of the additional $25 billion, the legislation includes authorization for 12 additional Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets for the Navy. It added five more Boeing F-15EX jets above 12 already planned, and 13 ships total including two attack submarines and two destroyers, resulting in five more than the White House’s budget plan. The NDAA also authorizes 85 Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft. As it relates to military end strength, the number of Army soldiers would drop by 900 to 485,000 compared to this year’s levels and the Marine Corps would cut its troop numbers by 2,700 to 178,500. The Navy’s end strength total would drop by about 900 to 346,920, which results in approximately 700 more sailors than the White House requested. The Air Force would see a decrease of about 4,200 personnel to 329,222, which is 1,000 more airmen than the administration requested. The Space Force end strength would be set at 8,400 guardians.

One provision provided for a new “Basic Needs Allowance” to give additional financial support to some low-income service members. The legislation also has language to provide 12 weeks parental leave to all service members following the birth or adoption of a child, standardizing the rule across the services.

Of major significance, the bill authorizes $2 billion above the administration’s request for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative, which is designed to bolster the military’s position in the region and deter China, for a total of $7.1 billion. Most of this initiative involves the leadership of the United States Marine Corps. The bill authorizes $4 billion for the European Deterrence Initiative, which is designed to deter Russia by bolstering cooperation with Eastern European allies, an increase over the administration’s $3.4 billion request. Lawmakers added $50 million to the administration’s request for security assistance for Ukraine for a total of $300 million.

Congress approved in the NDAA the retirement of more than 160 legacy aircraft for the Air Force, thereby freeing up money for the service to invest in new technologies, but once again, Members stifled the service’s hopes to retire A-10 Warthogs. The Air Force will be allowed to retire all the aircraft it proposed divesting of in its FY22 budget request, including the 47 F-16C/Ds, 48 F-15C/D Eagles, four E-8 JSTARS ground surveillance aircraft and 20 RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30 surveillance drones.

Congress did impose significant restrictions on the F-35 program, per planned procurement of the jet by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps unless sustainment costs meet the services’ targets. The NDAA would also create an Afghanistan War Commission to review the nearly two decades of war there and review of the failed departure, which resulted in 13 service members killed and over $85 billion of modern weaponry left behind.

In unrelated news, Boeing announced in late December that it had suspended its requirement for U.S.-based employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19. In an internal post to employees, Boeing indicated it made the decision after reviewing several recent developments that thwarted the federal government’s vaccine mandate effort for federal contractors. The Boeing decision was based on a U.S. district court in Georgia decision on Dec. 7 to invoke a preliminary injunction that would prevent the vaccine mandate for contractors required in executive order 14042 from taking effect. This followed another injunction issued by a federal court in Kentucky on November 30, halting a national vaccine mandate for health care workers. As a result, on December 9, the Defense Department issued a memo suspending the enforcement of the mandate to comply with both court orders until further notice. Other defense contractors, both small and large, are doing the same as the Boeing Company.

Congressional Calendar

Tuesday, Jan. 11

10 a.m. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee – Hydropower Opportunities and Challenges.
10 a.m. Senate Judiciary Committee – Domestic Terrorism threat 1 year Later.
10 a.m. House Appropriations Committee – US Capitol Security Since January 6
10 a.m. Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Briefing – US Policy on Afghanistan
10 a.m. House Oversight and Reform Committee -Federal Cybersecurity Reform.
10 a.m. House Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness – Red Hill Bulk Facility Storage: The Current Crisis, the Response and the Way Forward.
10 a.m. Senate Foreign Relations Committee Closed US Policy on Afghanistan.

Wednesday, Jan. 12

9 a.m. Senate Foreign Relations Committee – pending nominations
9 a.m. Senate Judiciary Committee – pending nominations.
9:30 am. Senate Foreign Relations Committee – pending nominations.
10 a.m. House Small Business Committee – SBA Management/Performance Challenges
10 a.m. House Agriculture Committee – Electric Vehicle Implications for Agriculture/Rural America
10 a.m. House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources – Water Resources Development Act Proposals
10 a.m. House Appropriations Committee – Continuing Resolution Impacts on the Department of Defense and Services.
2:30 pm. Senate Indian Affairs Committee – Closing the Digital Divide in Native Communities Through Infrastructure Investment.
2:45 pm. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee – USACE investment Implementation of Water Infrastructure Projects, Programs and Priorities.

Thursday, Jan. 13

9 a.m. Senate Judiciary Committee – Pending Nominations
9:30 am Senate Armed Services Committee – Pending Nominations
10:45 am. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee – Civil Rights Cold Case Records Review Board Nominations

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Looking towards Arizona’s recovery after COVID-19

Joe Pitts — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 18:24:21 +0000

COVID-19’s viral spread beginning in early 2020 set back every economy on the face of the planet. Its downward effect on wages, employment, output, and other positive economic indicators devastated workers’ incomes (and job status), industries’ profits, and governments’ treasuries.

The United States federal government’s massive fiscal response to the pandemic mitigated some of these negative externalities over the course of one year, but the sustained impacts of the pandemic-induced recession continue to endure: unemployment is still almost double what it was in early 2020, many families lost loved ones to the virus, many businesses (particularly small businesses) went out of business, and many industries are still struggling to get back on their feet. In Arizona, tourism, entertainment, retail, and nonfarm jobs .

Arizona economist Jim Rounds has argued that the best economic stimulus is widespread vaccination against COVID-19. Indeed, since the approval of the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, the economy has seen growth. Nonetheless, less than half of Arizonans have received one shot, let alone two (Johnson & Johnson only requires one shot, whereas Pfizer and Moderna require two).

Figure 1

: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA – COVID-19 TRACKING ECONOMIC IMPACTS

Policies aimed at expanding vaccinations and easing the public’s willingness to frequent businesses could accelerate the state’s post-COVID economic recovery. As the economic engine revs up, the maintenance of public health will be critical to the expansion of private-public sector collaboration, wage growth, trade, immigration, and economic clusters. The easiest path to securing all of these aims is to prioritize vaccine distribution.

Beyond these proposals, larger obstacles face the international, American, and Arizonan economies. While the United States is expected to reach “herd immunity” within months, Europe will not reach this state until late 2021, and many other nations and regions still have no timeline for this milestone. Accelerating the international distribution of vaccinations could promote the health and wellbeing of the domestic economy, particularly considering Arizona and the United States’ .

Further, inflationary pressures could threaten markets and consumer prices. Already, the United States has reported a 13-year peak in inflation in April of 2021, with the “rate of inflation [] to 4.2% from 2.6% in the prior month.” This inflation is largely expected, particularly considering the passage of several federal stimulus packages, but it could diminish the value of wage gains.

The following policies might be pursued by Arizona leaders to ease Arizona’s post-COVID economic recovery:

Collaborating with the federal government and foreign governments to distribute excess vaccines to nations with lower vaccination rates (Mexico in particular, considering their proximity).

Urging the federal government to maintain manageable levels of inflation, so that wage gains are not eaten up by rising prices.
Provide incentives for vaccinations by partnering with Arizona businesses, cities, and counties (incentives could range from free food and beverages to coupons to favorite restaurants and bars).

As Arizonans look forward to a post-COVID economy, the fundamentals of the state’s exploding growth should not be neglected. Vibrant public-private partnerships, a foundationally pro-growth regulatory agenda, expanded trade relations with inter- and intra-national neighbors, and an embrace of smart immigration policies could provide a formula for continued economic success.

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How Covid-19 is changing face of commercial real estate market

Victoria Harker — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 18:18:47 +0000

Workers are expected to come back in full force in the next few months as Covid-19 restrictions lift across Arizona, and many employers are configuring just how to bring everyone back to the office — or not.

One of Arizona’s leading real estate attorneys, Jay Kramer of , spoke to С��ñֱ��app about what to expect as well as advice for employers on how to move forward.

The first challenge will be motivating employees to come back to job sites, Kramer said.

Jay Kramer

“People haven’t been in the office for awhile and in Phoenix, you can have a 40-minute to one-hour round-trip commute,” said Kramer, a partner with Fennemore, headquartered in Phoenix. “If they come back to the office and just go into a cubicle or close the door of their office, that may not be a reason to come back. So, we’ve got to make it more enjoyable, more of a communal environment conducive to collaboration and socialization as well as providing quiet spaces for people to work.”

Now that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has , Kramer predicts employees will be back in full force by the end of the year.

Kramer offered up his projections for what’s ahead and some advice:

Projections for the short and long term

In the short term, the commercial office market will continue to be bumpy, and Kramer advises remaining flexible right now.

“I think there is going to be an initial knee jerk reaction of, ‘How can we reduce space?’ “ he said. “Most companies will be in a hybrid environment and wonder why they need as much space as they have with only 50 percent of their employees in the office on any given day.”

Longer term, more office space may be required because of the need for more collaborative space, social spaces, quiet spaces, and zoom meeting conference rooms, he said.

“We may actually need as much or additional space because of all these experiential requirements that we’re going to need in order to get people back to working in the office.”

Large headquarters may become more obsolete

Expect large headquarters to go away in favor of regional satellite offices closer to provide more travel convenience for staff, Kramer said. Many offices also will need to be “re-imagined” to make them more attractive to bring staff in for a few days a week or more.

“Instead of having one large corporate office located downtown or at 24th and Camelback, maybe an approach would be to have two or three smaller offices around the Valley, closer to where your employees are located so they do have a place to go where there can be some feeling of camaraderie and community and firm,” Kramer said. “But at same time, limit the commute and limit the exposure to a large number of people.”

Time to think about flexible lease options moving forward

Over the past 14 months, many big businesses were able to carry their mortgages and leases in 2020 because they were able to reduce other expenses associated with running an office by as much as 20 percent.

Moving forward, CFOs may need to consider reducing costs on existing leases through vehicles like subleasing. Now is a good time to start thinking ahead about how to renegotiate leases to build in flexibility for expansion and contraction.

“It’s very difficult to change your lease during the existing lease term unless you’ve negotiated contraction, expansion options or early termination provisions or something to that effect,” Kramer said. “So most of us are going to continue to have to live with our current office space.”

Subleasing glut right now

With everyone trying to sublease right now, it can be difficult to find takers. Companies may find they are having to retrofit their offices to survive.

“The key issues are going to be flexibility and that means the ability to contract and expand your space, have options to extend your term but also have the ability to terminate your lease contractually,” Kramer said.

With the knowledge that government mandates or orders can limit how many employees can be in the office, there will be more emphasis on force majeure provisions and leases and possibly condemnation.

Tenants are in “leverage” position right now

Right now, leverage is with tenants, which means landlords will be more likely to work with flexible lease and other terms.

“So, if you have a lease that is expiring, you might normally look at your lease 18 months before the expiration date but you may want to start looking three years in advance now and see if there is something you can do.”

Residential real estate boom will benefit commercial market

With the housing market on fire in the Valley, expect the commercial real estate sector to benefit as well.

“With more people, you assume that more businesses, whether they are small or large, will either start up here or potentially move their headquarters or their regional headquarters to the area.”

As people move to the region, more “knowledge-based” businesses and higher salaries will follow.

“The next five years in the Valley are going to be good times for the real estate market. There will probably be some blips, but I think overall the trend will be very positive.”

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Wells Fargo, UnitedHealth respond to India’s need for critical care and equipment

Victoria Harker — Thu, 20 May 2021 20:01:42 +0000

Wells Fargo & Company and United Health Care recently announced they are committing more than $4 million to help battle the devastation taking its toll on India from Covid-19.

As of Wednesday, India’s medical system continued to be under severe stress, recording 4,529 new covid-19 deaths over 24 hours, the highest daily toll of any country since the pandemic began.

To address the public health crisis, the two corporations are committing funding for a variety of critical needs, from oxygen equipment to portable 200-bed hospital units.

“It’s been heartbreaking to see the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in India,” said Bill Daley, Wells Fargo’s vice chairman of public affairs about the effort. “Our priority is to care for our employees and local communities in India.”

Bill Daley

Wells Fargo sending $3 million to India for equipment needs

This month, Wells Fargo announced that it is committing more than $3 million through non-profit and other organizations to increase hospital capacity, supply oxygen concentrators and critical medical equipment, provide emergency transportation, and support health care workers.

“These grants can help nonprofits quickly provide much needed medical equipment and build capacity while providing care for those affected and support for healthcare professionals tirelessly working to save lives,” Daley said.

Grants will go to United Way agencies in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai; Nirmaan Organization; Akshaya Patra Foundation; Mantra Social Services; and NASSCOM Foundation.

The funding will aim to:

-Provide portable hospital annex units with 200 beds
-Deploy oxygen concentrators to hospitals
-Deliver COVID-19 isolation kits for people recovering at home
-Support ICU ambulances to help transport patients to hospitals

Wells Fargo has several offices in India, and the company has taken steps throughout the pandemic to help ensure the health and safety of its employees in India and globally through remote work and enhanced benefits.

Nearly all Wells Fargo employees in India are currently working remotely, and the company has been covering costs for COVID-19 testing and vaccines, as well as offering enhanced medical insurance coverage, COVID-19-related leave, and time away for vaccines.

Last year, the banking giant made a $1.5 million contribution to India to provide urgent assistance to the country’s most impacted communities, including health care workers, hard-hit and underserved citizens, seniors, and people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity, as well as government labs experiencing a shortage of equipment.

UnitedHealth Group announces $1 million for oxygen equipment

UnitedHealth Group also recently announced a $1 million contribution from to fund more than 2,500 oxygen concentrators to address India’s nationwide shortage of oxygen as well as other critical medical equipment essential for treating severe COVID-19 infections.

The grant will be made through the and its affiliate foundation, the US-India Friendship Alliance. The oxygen concentrators will be delivered to Niti Aayog, the government of India’s planning arm, to ensure they are deployed to state hospitals where the need is significant.

In addition to the monetary contribution, UnitedHealth Group’s relief efforts in India have helped:

-Deploy health and safety kits and COVID-19 testing supplies
-Support for Optum team members based in Bangalore, Chennai Gurugram, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Noida
-Expand access to telehealth for more immediate and convenient medical consultation

“Since the onset of COVID-19, UnitedHealth Group has been committed to combating the pandemic’s impact on the communities where we live and work, while providing resources and support to ensure the safety and well-being of our team members,” said Laura Ciavola, president of Optum Global Advantage, a UnitedHealth Group business.

Laura Ciavola

The two have donated $325 million for aid since Covid outbreak

To date, the two companies, which have a strong presence in Arizona, have committed more than $325 million worldwide to the Covid-19 effort.
Since the pandemic outbreak in 2020, has made $225 million in philanthropic contributions for COVID-19. has donated more than $100 million to support impacted communities worldwide.

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Banner Health CEO named among top 100 influencers in healthcare in 2020

Victoria Harker — Wed, 05 May 2021 16:04:04 +0000

Peter Fine, president and CEO of one of largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the nation, , once again has been named among the most important influencers in the industry.

Peter Fine

For the eighth time, Fine made the annual by Modern Healthcare, a leading provider of healthcare business news for industry executives.

Now in its 19th year, the program honors individuals who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of the magazine to be the most influential individuals in the industry in terms of leadership and impact.

Focus on pandemic in 2020

Fine, who has been CEO and president of Banner Health since 2000, made the No. 92 spot in the 2020 rankings. This year, the program focused attention on individuals who excelled in guiding the industry through the public healthcare crisis.

Frontline workers took the No. 1 sport in the rankings as “the true heroes of this pandemic,” writes Ginger Christ, post-acute care and staffing reporter at .

CDC estimates that more than 2.2 million health care workers have contracted the novel coronavirus and nearly 900 of those workers have died, Christ wrote.

Employees are the real heroes

Like a true leader, Fine refused to take any credit for the honor, saying Banner employees did all the real work during an incredibly tough year.

“Banner’s frontline health care workers, support staff and leadership team have gone above and beyond during the pandemic, overcoming extraordinary obstacles to keep our patients’ care and safety at the forefront throughout,” he said. “Our people are what make Banner Health among the very best in health care.”

When Covid-19 erupted last year, Banner swiftly established test collection sites, expanded telehealth technology for patient care to all Banner providers, and increased public awareness with the in Arizona.

Leading Banner through substantial growth

In addition to guiding the organization through Covid-19, Fine has also steered the hospital system through considerable growth over two decades to become one of the nation’s largest secular nonprofit healthcare organizations.

Today, Banner operates 30 hospitals and other facilities with more than 52,000 employees across six western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming.

Over the past few years, Fine has led projects like integrating an academic enterprise in partnership with the , partnering with Aetna on a commercial insurance product, growing its portfolio of ambulatory companies, growing Banner’s footprint in positive health outcomes, and expanding the geography of Banner’s Medicaid plan.

Currently, Banner Health is investing nearly $400 million in expansion projects in the East Valley at Banner Desert in Mesa and Banner Gateway medical centers, including a $243 million expansion project at its hospital in Gilbert.

Long career in healthcare, public service

Prior to his appointment at Banner, Fine held a number of administrative positions with healthcare systems. Before arriving at Banner, he was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Milwaukee-based Aurora Health Care, a large integrated system serving all of eastern Wisconsin. Before taking that role, he was president of Aurora’s West Allis Memorial Hospital near Milwaukee. In addition, he was president and chief executive officer of Grant Hospital and senior vice president of operations at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, both in Chicago, and assistant administrator of Porter Memorial Hospital in Valparaiso, Indiana.

Fine also holds a number of professional and public service posts. He is a fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives and previously served as a member of its Board of Governors. He is a member of the American Hospital Association, Health Management Academy, Greater Phoenix Leadership, and serves on the board of directors for Premier, Inc., Greater Phoenix Leadership, and Banner Health.

Honored for his administrative leadership

Over the years, Fine has received many honors and titles such as Modern Healthcare and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s CEO IT Achievement Award, Phoenix Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award, Arizona Business Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award and Healthcare Leadership Award, and B’nai B’rith International’s National Healthcare Award.

Top 20 influential healthcare professionals

Here’s the top 20 honorees of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare — 2020:

Frontline healthcare workers
Michael Dowling, president and CEO, Northwell Health
Marc Harrison, president and CEO, Intermountain Healthcare
Samuel Hazen, CEO, HCA Healthcare
Beverly Malone, president and CEO, National League for Nursing
Susan DeVore, CEO, Premier, Inc.
Gene Woods, president and CEO, Atrium Health
Judith Faulkner, founder and CEO, Epic Systems
Anthony Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Jason Gorevic, CEO, Teladoc Health
Stephen Hahn, commissioner, Food and Drug Administration
Tom Inglesby, director, Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security
Melinda Estes, president and CEO, St. Luke’s Health System
Larry Merlo, president and CEO, CVS Health
David Wichmann, CEO, UnitedHealth Group
Seema Verma, administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Bonnie Castillo, executive director, National Nurses United
Gail Boudreaux, president and CEO, Anthem, Inc.
Greg Adams, chair and CEO, Kaiser Permanente
Susan Bailey, president, American Medical Association

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Now in Arizona: Hope Delivered Every 10 Seconds

Guest Contributor — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 17:26:51 +0000

By all accounts, Arizona has had a rough time through the COVID-19 pandemic. A staggering loss of more than 15,000 Arizonans, punctuated by devastating economic and mental health impacts, left our state reeling.

Pam Kehaly

Vaccinations mean that hope is here, and Arizona’s recovery has been jump started with one of the highest-volume, 24/7 vaccination sites in the country at State Farm Stadium in Glendale. With more than 8,000 vaccines administered every day…about one every 10 seconds…Arizonans have come together in a colossal act of love.

This is exactly why, when state leaders called on Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona to get involved in early January, we said “yes.” In less than two weeks, we mobilized our team to join the single largest and most important public health effort our nation has seen during the pandemic. We mobilized to assist. We mobilized to serve. And most importantly, we mobilized to deliver hope.

We anticipated the huge effort and are humbled to be part of this highly effective public-private partnership. What we did not anticipate was how much we would be touched by witnessing the absolute best of humanity in action. Thousands of individuals, most of whom are volunteers, have worked around the clock to help administer a dose of hope to more than 300,000 Arizonans in less than six weeks.

Working nine-hour shifts, some overnight, on their feet in the rain, sun, cold, and even desert hailstorms, these volunteers tell us how honored they are to serve in a role that has so much purpose. They experience words of thanks and tears of joy and relief every day, along with being witnesses to a monumental time in our country’s history.

President Biden and Vice President Harris recently took a virtual tour of the vaccination operations at State Farm Stadium. Calling the 24/7 vaccination operation “amazing,” President Biden and Vice President Harris pointed to the teamwork as an example of unity, saying, “We have never failed as a country when we’ve done things together.” Administering more than 20% of all COVID-19 vaccines in Arizona, the impressive vaccination results at State Farm Stadium to-date would not have been possible without a tireless team.

Together with federal partners, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Guard, along with state leadership from the Governor’s Office, the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, and the Arizona Department of Health Services, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona employees and their families and friends have volunteered to help make this a national model of an efficient and streamlined vaccination clinic. We joined hospitals, the Arizona Cardinals, Arizona State University, Walgreens, the Ben and Catherine Ivy Foundation, the City of Glendale, and more with the shared goal of working together to win the COVID battle.

A true testament to the grit and resilience of our community, Arizona has managed to move from a time of hopelessness and uncertainty to becoming a role model of strength and unity. While we need to stay vigilant and still have a long road ahead, standing shoulder to shoulder against an enemy we cannot even see will lead us to victory. This is genuine, authentic love in action, and it changes us all for the better.

Pam Kehaly is President and CEO at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.

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Cox shares tech trends that will continue to shape how we live, work and learn in 2021

Guest Contributor — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 17:16:04 +0000

This time last year, most of us had heard rumblings about COVID-19 – but at the time, it seemed so far away. Little did we know it would become a global pandemic that would bring about broad-sweeping change in so many facets of life – technology included.

Susan Anable
VP of Government and Public Affairs for Cox

The pandemic has been a technology accelerator for businesses, municipalities, schools, healthcare and homes. As such, those of us at Cox Communications, who provide internet, telephone, security and video services to thousands of Arizona small and regional businesses and more than three million connectivity products within homes across the state, have seen a few interesting technology trends that we believe will continue throughout 2021.

Provider adoption and investment in telehealth grows

Finding ways to connect virtually with your doctor is getting easier, too. According to a, only 28% of respondents said that their healthcare service provider offered telehealth before COVID-19. , too, gave telehealth a thumbs up, with 57% viewing it more favorably than before the pandemic and 64% feeling more comfortable using the technology.

Further, the same report shows up to $250 billion of current U.S. healthcare spend could go virtual – up from $3 billion pre-COVID-19.

Smart communities keep getting smarter

From waste management and water meters to street lighting, parking and public safety, communities are getting smarter by the day.

In Arizona, the at ASU serves as an incubation center that is engaging ASU students and faculty to design the next wave of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions that will focus on projects pertaining to smart and connected products that will empower citizens, students and local government teams to live and work more efficiently and enhance the quality of life. The ASU team is looking at urban redesign, augmented reality and the workforce of the future as well as fleet management, health and wellness and public safety.

Smart communities are increasingly becoming a priority nationwide – and worldwide. The pandemic has, and citizens are more open to smart community tech than ever – which is unlocking doors to rapid growth that will continue. Going smart enables municipalities to make more effective data-driven decisions, decreases inefficiencies and streamlines and automates processes. It also enhances citizen and government engagement, improves infrastructure and provides new economic development opportunities.

And the trend toward just-about-everything-smart is taking place inside the home as well. According to, North America in 2023 is expected to have 40% of the worldwide market of consumer spending on smart home systems like smart assistants, smart speakers and smart door locks and light switches.

School and work will continue to stay home…somewhat

Remote work and school are not going away anytime soon, making broadband connectivity essential. Many employees who were forced to work from home this past year may continue to do so permanently. According to, the percentage of workers permanently working from home is expected to double this year and Big Tech is leading the way with companies like Twitter and Facebook having recognized the benefits of employees working from home indefinitely, even as offices reopen.

Although working from home might have had a rocky start, employees have mastered using real-time chat and video conferencing to stay connected. According to, 94% of 800 employers surveyed by Mercer, an HR and workplace benefits firm, said that productivity was the same or higher than it was before the pandemic. Our own workforce at Cox will likely see a work/work-from-home hybrid model in the future. Interactive video conferencing and chat have enabled teams to maintain cohesion and stay connected while working out of the office. In fact, Cox Business has produced a Work-at-Home solution for Arizona enterprises. This solution provides remote staff with enterprise-grade, separate internet connections from the office directly to their homes including Wi-Fi, endpoint security and a malicious domain blocker to help ensure staff members have the same highly reliable, quick connectivity they would have when working in the office.

On the education front, researchers found approximately 20% of public school district superintendents and charter school leaders said they plan to continue online schooling as an option once the pandemic subsides – or are considering the online option for families and students who want the choice.

Whether teaching or learning from home or in the classroom, data-driven insights improve the classroom experience. Apps empower teachers to digitally administer homework, quizzes, tests and have one-on-one face time with students and parents.

And through artificial intelligence and machine learning, automated technology allows teachers to monitor and evaluate the progress students are making and better understand their strengths and weaknesses. For students, apps enable learning through gamification, which creates a fun and positive learning environment and can make the most reticent student excited about his or her studies.

State’s top health official updates employers on vaccine rollout and what it means for them

Victoria Harker — Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:26:48 +0000

Arizona’s top public health official spoke with the business community last week about the Covid vaccine rollout in the state and recommendations for bringing workers back to the office.

Vaccines are the key to getting back to normalcy, said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services (DHS), who spoke to employers last week at an event hosted by the Arizona С��ñֱ��app of Commerce & Industry.

Dr. Cara Christ

Limited supplies are arriving weekly to the state, and CEOs, managers and team members should get vaccinated as soon as they are able and share their experiences with employees, Christ said.

“Talk confidently about the vaccine. Get the vaccine and share your experience,” said Christ, who added that few people experience side effects and the shot is less painful than a flu shot. “The vaccine is safe and effective. Encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they can.”

At the virtual event, Christ talked about what businesses and other organizations can expect in the next few months.

Among her key points:

Supply expected to meet demand by April

Arizona has vaccinated more than 1.2 million people. Around 150,000 vaccine doses are arriving into the state weekly and the new Johnson and Johnson one-dose vaccine is expected to start arriving in small quantities in March. The vaccination is 87 percent effective, a higher rate than the flu vaccine, Christ said.

Currently, all counties have moved into the second phase of six vaccination phases, Phase 1B. In Phase IB, people 65 and older may receive vaccinations. Essential employees and the general public will follow over the next two months.

In Phase 1B, counties will be prioritizing populations based on risk. Teachers and childcare workers are among those who will be at the front of the line. Other essential workers like restaurants and food service will follow.

Finally, the general public under 65 years old could see vaccines available as soon as next month. In April, the state should be able to meet all demand, Christ said. By June, everyone who is going to get a vaccine should be immunized.

Employers of essential employees can fill out vaccine request

Essential frontline workers will be vaccinated in Phase 1B and 1C as vaccine availability increases statewide.

Employers with essential employees who have not done so may complete the

so counties can notify them as vaccines become available.

Also, large employers may contact their respective counties to set up on-site vaccination programs when they become available, Christ said.

Anyone may also register for an appointment on the state website and may get vaccinated at a location near them. Many health care providers and pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens are offering vaccinations as doses become available.

Continue to take precautions, follow requirements for capacity

While Covid case numbers, hospitalizations, ICU admissions and ventilations are down, positivity rates are still not where they should be, Christ said.

Current positivity rates in the state are at 6.9 percent, well below the peak of 24.4 percent in December. For the virus to be considered well under control, health officials recommend it stay below 5 percent for at least two weeks.

For that reason, businesses are still required to take measures to protect the public. Certain industries like restaurants, gyms, theaters, and water parks are required to limit capacity. To see requirements and recommendations for specific businesses, visit: .

For now, all employers are advised to continue to take all precautions to protect their employees and customers including wearing masks, sanitizing frequently and not coming to work when ill, Christ said.

For employers considering moving remote workers back to the office, Christ said she would like to see “low-moderate or minimal spread” in the community with low positivity and hospitalization rates.

“We know Covid is still circulating and want to make sure even if you are vaccinated or around other people vaccinated to still wear masks,” Christ said.

Vaccinations are opening up in phases

Vaccines are being administered in six phases:

Phase 1A – Healthcare workers and healthcare support occupations, emergency medical services workers, long-term care facility staff and residents

Priority Phase 1B – Education and childcare workers, protective services occupations, adults 65 and older and remaining 1A populations

Phase 1B – Essential services and critical industry workers, adults with high-risk conditions in congregate settings, and remaining 1A and prioritized 1B populations

Phase 1C – Adults of any age with high-risk medical conditions, adults living in congregate settings, and remaining 1A and 1B populations

Phase 2 – Additional high-risk and critical populations, general public and remaining phase 1 populations

Phase 3 – General public and remaining phase 1 and 2 populations

More vaccination appointments opening this month

Currently, all appointments are filled right now but more openings are expected at the end of February and beginning of March, Christ said.

About 500 provider sites are administering vaccines and anyone wishing to get vaccinated can register on the state at the DHS interactive site at . If anyone does not have the technology to register or make an appointment online, they can call 1-844-542-8201 and receive assistance in English or Spanish.

Many health care providers and doctors as well as pharmacies including Walgreens, CVS, Fry’s and Safeway are administering vaccines as they come in.

Christ said the impressive rollout of vaccines could not have been possible without the health care partners “who have really stepped up to provide vaccinations” and other services.

“This is a team effort. A week ago we were below 50 percent utilization. Now we’re at 80 percent,” she said. “We’re hoping where eventually everyone can find a vaccine in their normal location or with their normal health care provider.”

For frequently asked questions about where to get a vaccine, visit:

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes.

As Arizona progresses through the phased vaccination process, public health officials recommend everyone continue to:

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
It is especially important to clean hands after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose.
Check if your hand sanitizer has been recalled by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA maintains anof hand sanitizers that consumers should avoid due to possible toxic effects. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Stay at home when you are sick.
Avoid close contact (within six feet) with others.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) and immediately throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Wear masks in public settings if they can be safely managed.
If you are at higher risk for severe illness, you should avoid attending congregate settings. People at higher risk for severe illness include adults 65 or older and people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions.

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Major medical transport firm aids employers as they get back to business safely

Victoria Harker — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 20:01:14 +0000

When covid-19 surfaced last year, the world’s largest medical transport company, Global Medical Response (GMR), launched a comprehensive program to protect its 37,000 front-line employees.

Soon, their clients were asking for the program to be adapted to their worksites. That’s when decided to take it commercial. Today, it is helping companies in all 50 states safely return to work.

Demand is being driven by “overwhelmed” employers who just want to get back to running their businesses, Mark Davidson, national director of Innovative Practices, Business Development, for GMR.

“Their internal teams have been completely overwhelmed and inundated by Covid and they realize they have to get their people off of the Covid task forces and the Covid projects and get them back to business,” he said.

SafeRestart provides everything companies and agencies need to return to work safely, from prescreening to testing and monitoring to vaccinations.

“At the end of the day, the theme is peace of mind and business continuity,” Davidson said.

Scaling to meet public, private sector needs

Initially, SafeRestart’s first clients were employers with critical and essential workforces like healthcare, logistics and manufacturing.

Today, it services private and public companies and government agencies in all sectors including Fortune 500 benefits brokerage firms, school districts, prisons, nursing homes, casinos, and governing bodies like boards of directors, city councils and state legislatures.

How it works

SafeRestart provides “end-to-end solutions” to vaccinate workers and identify, evaluate, isolate, and monitor potentially infected employees. It also has a digital app to guide and inform the workforce.

Services include:

Pre-entry screening Employees begin with a proprietary self-assessment tool before they enter the workplace to determine their risk for exposure. The entry screening can be further combined with in-person or autonomous temperature screening tools at work sites for added vigilance.

Rapid testing Rapid testing determines if at-risk employees are COVID-19 positive. Results can be determined in as little as one hour of administering the test, depending on the type of test used, instead of waiting up to one week with many other testing options.

Nursing support for isolated employees Employees in self-isolation are supported by a Nurse Navigation team, with phone-based access to nurses who can navigate the impacted employee through the process of self-isolation and provide guidance on treatment options.

Virtual medical monitoring Self-isolated employees are enrolled in active monitoring via a web-based and smartphone app. During the isolation period, they receive reminders twice daily to log their temperature and symptoms for monitoring by a medical team.

Return-to-work recommendation Specially-trained nurses review the daily self-reported symptoms and follow physician-developed protocols to determine when the individual no longer poses a threat and can safely return to work with minimal risk of infecting coworkers and customers.

New normal

Davidson expects the service to grow even as the public gets vaccinated. Protecting employees and customers from Covid and other infectious disease outbreaks is the new normal, Davidson said.

“With new variants of the disease, nobody knows what that is going to look like,” he said. “Many companies are still remote or fractionally bringing or transitioning employees back. There has to be some date for employees to come back to work.”

For more information about the SafeRestart program visit: or call: 855.267.0911.

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