HARRISBURG – The state Senate today approved critical funding for hospitals and frontline health care workers who continue to keep Pennsylvanians safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Joe Pittman, R-41, said.
House Bill 253 would allocate a total of $225 million to hospitals and their employees. The additional dollars will be allocated as follows:
- $100 million for acute care general hospitals.
- $110 million for critical access hospitals, facilities with a high volume of Medicaid patients, and behavioral/psychiatric providers.
- $15 million for the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program.
“This is an effort to support frontline health care professionals who have sacrificed so much for our communities, especially over these past 2 years,” Sen. Pittman said.
Of that total, the major health care facilities that provide services to those living in the 41st Senatorial District are to receive a total of nearly $2.5 million, with $1,199,802 going to Indiana Regional Medical Center, $920,115 ($74,472 of which is for behavioral health) to Armstrong Center for Medicine & Health (ACMH) and $354,158 to Punxsutawney Area Hospital.
The legislation requires the funding to be directed to retention and recruitment programs for staff. Hospital executives and administration, contracted staff and physicians would not be eligible for payments.
The bill was sent to the House of Representatives for consideration.
Contact: Jeremy Dias jdias@pasen.gov