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Antwan Scott
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One attendee told Ernst during the question-and-answer period he believed COVID-19 cases and deaths are being overcounted, a theory discounted by medical professionals who say the actual numbers are probably much higher than official tallies.
Ernst said she was "so skeptical" of those numbers as well.
"These health-care providers and others are reimbursed at a higher rate if COVID is tied to it, so what do you think they're doing?" she told the crowd.
Asked to clarify her remarks after the event, Ernst said that's "what I've heard" from health-care providers, but wasn't sure if that meant numbers were being inflated.
"They do get reimbursed higher amounts if it's a COVID-related illness or death," she said. "I heard the same thing on the news. ... They're thinking there may be 10,000 or less deaths that were actually singularly COVID-19. ... I'm just really curious. It would be interesting to know that."
Ernst, in rural Waterloo, says Senate race will be expensive, close