Local hospitals ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic could get the shaft in funding under the recently approved $2 trillion federal COVID-19 emergency spending package, the New York Congressional delegation claims.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act approved by Congress and President Trump includes $150 billion to provide relief to hospitals and other medical providers nationwide, including protective equipment such as masks and gowns.
But a bipartisan letter co-signed by 25 New York House members — sent to top health officials in the Trump administration – argues that the formula they’re considering to use to distribute the aid shortchanges local hospitals.
The aid would be based on 2018 data for Medicare, the health insurance program for the elderly, the House members said in the letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma.
“New York’s hospitals are getting hit harder by the coronavirus than anywhere in the country and should get priority. We’re the epicenter of the pandemic,” Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Nassau), who drafted the letter along with Reps. Eliot Engel (D-Bronx) and Peter King (R-Nassau/Suffolk), told The Post.
The letter says, “This funding was meant to cover essential expenses for hospitals including increased staffing, expanded bed capacity, and much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE). As you also know, New York has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic far more than any other state.”
The letter notes that New York accounts for 35 percent of the nation’s COVID-19 cases and 42 percent of deaths.
“Our hospitals have invested massive amounts of money and cancelled elective procedures in order to prepare for the surge of patients currently stretching many of their facilities beyond capacity. These important decisions will save the lives of countless New York residents, but will also put New York hospitals in a highly precarious financial situation,” the letter said.
“We strongly urge you to reconsider and to prioritize funding for New York and other states most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” they said.
Suozzi said the law was rushed through when asked why New York lawmakers did not address the funding matter before it passed.
An HHS spokesperson provided a statement saying the agency has received a number of letters from Congress on COVID-19 that it is working to respond to. The statement did not directly address the New York lawmakers’ fundraising complaint.
“We continue to maintain an open line of communication with Members of Congress, including briefings for members of both the House and Senate, while helping coordinate the response to the public health emergency,” the statement said.
