Many small doctors’ practices are struggling to survive as many patients shelter at home and put off consultations for all but the most urgent issues, the Washington Post reported. Although they’re still ministering to patients amid a health crisis, they’ve been unable to get loans under the Paycheck Protection Act, passed as part of the coronavirus relief package in late March. A survey done by a Richmond-based advocacy group for primary care doctors, called the Larry A. Green Center, found that half the doctors who sought such loans were unsuccessful. Of 2,774 doctors who responded to the survey, 19 percent said they had to temporarily close their practices because of financial problems; 42 percent had to lay off or furlough staff. About 10 percent say they will have to close in the next month because of financial shortfalls. Some are angry their plight has been ignored by federal lawmakers while cash-starved hospitals are slated to receive $100 billion in government relief. About $3.9 billion of that pool has gone to practices with 10 or fewer clinicians, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians, but it has generally paid out far less than the Small Business Association loans.
