CHARLESTON, W.Va. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and President Donald Trump’s Congressional Economic Task Force, today applauded that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcement of additional funding to providers in support of the national response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. West Virginia will receive a total of $159,588,044 in funding within the targeted allocation to rural hospitals. This funding is part of the distribution of the original $100 billion provider relief fund included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that Congress passed and President Trump signed into law. In the first half of the second round of funding, West Virginia received $34,175,203.
“This announcement, which includes $10 billion specifically for rural medical providers, shows the Trump administration’s continuing to support our rural communities,” Senator Capito said. “We’re continuing to ensure our hospitals have the funds they need to protect their employees and treat patients. With the passage of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) deal recently, hospitals can expect another $75 billion to be available to them after the CARES Act funding is exhausted. The federal response for health care providers remains strong, and I’m glad our West Virginia hospitals are getting another boost of support.”
BACKGROUND:
West Virginia received a total of $246,574,851 in funding within the first round of funding.
For the funding announced today, $10 billion will be provided to rural providers as defined by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Acute care hospitals will receive a base payment of $1 million. Rural clinics and community health centers will receive a base payment of $100,000. In addition to the base payment, each provider will receive funds based on annual operating expenses relative to the pool of rural providers. These are payments, not loans, to healthcare providers, and will not need to be repaid.
In addition to the funding announced today, President Trump signed into law an additional $75 billion for hospitals nationwide as part of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding deal. Click here for Senator Capito’s statement on this deal.
More information can be found here.
Senator Capito launched a page on her website to help bring current and accurate information to West Virginians during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click HERE to access the webpage for the latest updates and resources.
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