By May 2020, it had become apparent that the standard practice of putting COVID-19 patients on mechanical ventilation with ventilators was a death sentence.1 As early as April 9, 2020, Business Insider reported2 that 80% of COVID-19 patients in New York City who were placed on ventilators died, which caused a number of doctors to question their use.
The Associated Press3 also publicized similar reports from China and the U.K. A U.K. report put the figure at 66%, while a small study from Wuhan, China, put the ratio of deaths at 86%. Data presented by attorney Thomas Renz in 2021 showed that in Texas hospitals, 84.9% of patients died after more than 96 hours on a ventilator.4
The lowest figure I've seen is 50%.5 So, somewhere between 50% and 86% of all ventilated COVID patients died. Compare that to historical prepandemic ratios, where 30% to 40% of ventilated patients died.
Making matters worse, many of the doctors treating these patients were not trained in critical care. One of the "doctors" on the COVID floor was a dentist. Residents (medical students) were also relied on, even though they were not properly trained in how to safely ventilate, and were unfamiliar with the potent drugs used.
At the time, Olszewski blamed financial incentives for turning the hospital into a killing field. Elmhurst, a public hospital, received $29,000 extra for a COVID-19 patient receiving ventilation, over and above other treatments, she said.
If Elmhurst had infection control in mind when ventilating patients, they certainly didn't follow through, as COVID-positive and negative patients were comingled — a strategy Olszewski suspected was intended to drive up the COVID case and mortality numbers.
Others have also highlighted the role of financial incentives. In early April 2020, Minnesota family physician and state Sen. Scott Jensen explained:15
"Medicare has determined that if you have a COVID-19 admission to the hospital you'll get paid $13,000. If that COVID-19 patient goes on a ventilator, you get $39,000; three times as much."
Former CDC director Robert Redfield also admitted that financial policies may indeed have resulted in artificially elevated hospitalization rates and death toll statistics. As reported August 1, 2020, by the Washington Examiner:16
"… Redfield agreed that some hospitals have a monetary incentive to overcount coronavirus deaths … 'I think you're correct in that we've seen this in other disease processes, too.
Really, in the HIV epidemic, somebody may have a heart attack but also have HIV — the hospital would prefer the [classification] for HIV because there's greater reimbursement,' Redfield said17 during a House panel hearing … when asked by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer about potential 'perverse incentives.' Redfield continued: 'So, I do think there's some reality to that …"
In addition to receiving exorbitant payments for COVID admissions and putting patients on a ventilator, hospitals are also paid extra for:18
- COVID testing for all patients
- COVID diagnoses
- Use of remdesivir
- COVID deaths
- 1 Medscape April 6, 2020
- 2 Business Insider April 9, 2020
- 3 The Associated Press April 8, 2020
- 4, 18, 19 Citizens Journal December 20, 2021
- 5, 12 Wall Street Journal December 20, 2020
- 6, 7 Newswise April 23, 2020
- 8 The Dossier Substack September 30, 2020
- 9 WHO Clinical Management of Severe COVID-19
- 10 WHO Infection Prevention and Control for COVID
- 11 NBC News April 30, 2020
- 13, 20 Substack Popular Rationalism January 23, 2023
- 14 YouTube Perspectives on the Pandemic 2020
- 15 Fox News April 9, 2020
- 16 Washington Examiner August 1, 2020
- 17 Breitbart July 31, 2020
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