Senators urge Trump officials to distribute funding immediately to hospitals

A group of Democratic U.S. Senators recently urged Trump administration officials to immediately distribute an initial round of emergency funding to hospitals and other health care providers.

This funding would come from the $100 billion that was authorized to hospitals and healthcare organizations as part of the 2.2 trillion CARES Act. It would provide the necessary protective equipment and resources the healthcare workers need to manage the spread of COVID-19.

“While we appreciate that HHS has expressed an intent to distribute the funds in a way that is ‘fast, fair, simple and transparent,’ we are concerned by recent reports indicating the Trump Administration intends to delay the distribution of essential funds from the Emergency Fund and use them to retroactively reimburse hospitals for providing care to uninsured Americans. Holding Emergency Fund resources hostage with the intent to distribute them retroactively to certain hospitals for care provided to uninsured individuals would limit our capacity to manage this crisis, and result in an unequal distribution of resources that would come too little, too late,” the Senators wrote to Vice President Mike Pence and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar.

The letter was signed by U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Casey (D-PA), and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

The Senators also pressed the administration to reopen the enrollment for the Affordable Care Act and expand Medicaid programs. This would allow more Americans to get health coverage and reduce the potential burden of uncompensated care on hospitals across the country.

“The best way to provide much-needed support to hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, community health centers, hospice providers, and other providers across the country is to immediately distribute an initial round of funding from the Emergency Fund and ensure the remainder of the Fund is distributed in a manner that is transparent and equitable,” they wrote.