U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland will propose federal legislation Sept. 10 that provides bonuses for front-line hospital workers battling COVID-19, according to The Baltimore Sun.
The proposal is in honor of the late Joseph Costa, MD, who served as chief of critical care at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. Dr. Costa died July 25 of complications related to the coronavirus. He was 56.
The Dr. Joseph J. Costa Honoring Essential Americans Risking Their Safety Act would award "hero" pay, or bonuses, to physicians, nurses, specialists and nonmedical hospital staff who work near infected patients within federally-designated COVID-19 hotspots, according to a news release cited by the Sun. The publication reported that the payment amount and funding source for the bonuses was unclear.
Read the full Sun report here.