White House approach to COVID-19 funding allocations forces some hospitals into survival mode
By Mona Austin (The Slice): Press Sec. Kayleigh McEnany announced in her first formal press briefing the provisions from the $12 billion Provider Relief Fund will support select hospitals impacted by COVID-19. In revealing how the funds would be divided, she also revealed an emergent issue for the healthcare sector. Funding will not be available to all medical facilities. "Ten billion of the twelve billion will go towards hospitals treating 100 or more COVID-19 admissions," she said. Leaving no doubt that the funds are being allocated to areas that have the most cases, the press secretary explained, "HHS is distributing an additional $2 billion to these 395 hospitals in proportion to the amount of care they provide to low-income and uninsured patients." McEnany indirectly confirmed that thousands of medical facilities -- unless they have a reserve of funds to cushion their budgetary plummet -- could go into debt over the economic freeze related to Corona...