>>>
>>> THOUSANDS OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED
WITH COVID-19.
WITH COVID-19. IT IS WHY NURSES IN OREGON WANT
TO EXPAND WORKER'S COMPENSATION
COVERAGE DURING THE PANDEMIC AS
MANY OTHER STATES HAVE.
>>> IT IS LIKE HIGH ANXIETY.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS I
HAVE PPE, THAT IS WHAT WE JUST
KEEP TELLING EACH OTHER.
TRUCK EVERY DAY, HEALTHCARE
WORKERS LIKE VIRGINIA SMITH
RISK THEIR OWN HEALTH AND
SAFETY.
SAFETY.
SAFETY. >> KNOWING WHO TO TEST WHEN
THEY COME IN THE HOSPITAL HAS
BEEN A CHALLENGE.
>> SINCE THEY CAN'T TEST EVERY
PATIENT, NURSES ASSUME EVERYONE
IS SICK THAT MEANS, IF A
HEALTHCARE WORKER GETS COVID-19,
THEY MAY STRUGGLE PROVING WHERE
THEY GOT IT.
>> THEREFORE, STAFF, IT PUTS
STAFF IN A POSITION WHERE THEY
ARE BEING EXPECTED TO PROVE
WHERE THEY WERE EXPOSED AND
WHETHER OR NOT IT WAS IN THE
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL. >> Reporter: THAT BECOMES
TRICKY WHEN HER COLLEAGUES FILE
FOR WORKER'S COMPENSATION.
>> IT PUTS THEM IN AN
UNSUPPORTED POSITION WHERE THEY
ARE GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE A
DECISION FOR MY FAMILY AND
MYSELF TO MAKE SURE I AM NOT
EXPOSING MY COWORKERS OR
PATIENTS BUT AM ABLE TO TAKE
CARE OF MY FAMILY.
>> FOR OREGON'S NURSES AND
ESSENTIAL WORKERS WHO CANNOT
STAY HOME, THE PEOPLE WE ARE
RELYING ON TO GET US THROUGH
THIS CRISIS, WE ARE ASKING FOR
PRESUMPTION.
PRESUMPTION. >> Reporter: THEY ARE CALLING
ON THE STATE TO GIVE ESSENTIAL
WORKERS PRESUMPTIVE COVERAGE.
>> THE NEED IS NOW.
TRUCK SIMILAR TO WHAT FIRST
RESPONDERS HAVE.
RESPONDERS HAVE. IT EXTENDS WORKERS COMP BY
PRESUMING CERTAIN WORKERS WHO
GET COVID GOT IT AT WORK.
>> THE PRESUMPTION IS WHEN YOU
GET COVID AND IT IS MOST LIKELY
AT WORK, WILL YOUR EMPLOYER BE
THERE FOR YOU AND ENSURE YOU
CAN BE TESTED AND GET TREATMENT
YOU NEED?
YOU NEED?
YOU NEED? THAT IS WHAT WORKERS ARE ASKING
FOR.
FOR.
FOR. >>
FOR. >> Reporter: AS IT BECOMES
HARDER TO KNOW WHERE THEY GOT
SICK HIM OF THE UNIONS IS THE
BURDEN OF ROOF SHOULD NOT FALL
ON NURSES.
ON NURSES. STATE DATA SHOWS HEALTHCARE
WORKERS AND NURSING HOME STAFF
ARE FILING THEM VAST MAJORITY
OF COVID-19 WORKERS COMP CLAIMS.
WITH THE MOST CLAIMS TOPPING 500
, THE LEADING INSURER INCLUDING
MANY HEALTHCARE SYSTEMS.
AS OF MID JULY, SAIF
REPRESENTED 80% OF WORKERS COMP
CLAIMS.
CLAIMS.
CLAIMS. PROVIDENCE IS AT HALF THAT RATE.
36 CLAIMS ACCEPTED AND 50
DENIED.
DENIED.
DENIED. OF THOSE DENIED, THE VAST
MAJORITY TESTED NEGATIVE FOR
COVID.
COVID.
COVID. OTHERS DIDN'T GET TESTED OR
ADMITTED THEY GOT IT IN THE
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. >> WE ENCOURAGE ANY CAREGIVER
WHO FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE HAD A
SITUATION THAT HAPPENED THAT
WORKED AND HAS IMPACT.
MAYBE I THINK I HAVE HAD A
COVID ILLNESS OR EXPOSURE, WE
ENCOURAGE THEM TO REPORT THAT
TO OUR CARE OF, CAREGIVER
HEALTH SERVICES.
HEALTH SERVICES. >> Reporter: THAT COULD BE WHY
THEIR DENIAL RATE IS HIGHER
THAN OTHERS.
THAN OTHERS. >> WE ARE SEEING A LOT MORE OF
OUR CAREGIVERS ACTUALLY BECOME
ILL OR BECOME POSITIVE BECAUSE
OF INTERACTIONS IN THE
COMMUNITY.
COMMUNITY. >> Reporter: FOR SOME
COLLEAGUES, BEARING THE BURDEN
OF NAVIGATING THE SYSTEM CAN BE
A NIGHTMARE.
A NIGHTMARE. >> THERE WANTING TO BE AT HOME
TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES.
THAN HAVING TO NAVIGATE THROUGH
WHY THEIR CLAIM IS BEING DENIED
IS VERY CHALLENGING.
>>> JUST AHEAD, THE WHITE HOUSE
CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE OUT TODAY
WITH A NEW WARNING.
IT DOES NOT MATTER WHERE YOU
LIVE.
LIVE.
LIVE. THE
LIVE. THE RISK OF YOU CONTRACTING THE
CORONAVIRUS IS INCREASING.
>>> THE PRIMARY ELECTION IS
THIS TUESDAY.
THIS TUESDAY. ELECTION WORKERS ARE GETTING
READY WITH NEW PRECAUTIONS TO
KEEP THEM