AHA statement on HHS distribution of emergency funds for hospitals with high Medicaid volume

Rick Pollack
President and CEO
American Hospital Association

June 9, 2020

The AHA is pleased that HHS will be distributing additional funds from the CARES Act emergency relief fund to hospitals serving high numbers of Medicaid and uninsured patients, as we have suggested. These hospitals care for our nation’s most vulnerable patients and communities, which have suffered disproportionately from the pandemic. Due in large part to underlying health conditions, the patients these hospitals treat have been hospitalized at greater rates and require more care and resources once hospitalized. This emergency funding will help these hospitals, many of which were already facing serious financial pressures before the pandemic, continue to deliver care to their patients and communities.

While we appreciate the emergency funds released by HHS to date, the AHA continues to urge the department to distribute substantial additional funds to hospitals and health systems in an expedited manner as the COVID-19 virus continues to spread, hospitalizations continue to occur, and many Americans continue to forgo care, including primary care and other specialty care visits.

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Contact:        Colin Milligan, (202) 638-549, cmilligan@aha.org
                      Marie Johnson, (202) 626-2351, mjohnson@aha.org