News

Congress, President Trump Pass Coronavirus Supplemental Funding Package

March 9, 2020

President Donald Trump last Friday signed into law legislation to appropriate $8.3 billion to enhance the nation’s readiness for and response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The bill provides $950 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to grant to states, localities, territories, and tribes. $475 million of it must be allocated to conduct public health activities including surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing to identify additional positive cases of COVID-19, infection control, migration in areas with person-to-person transmission, and other public health preparedness and response activities. The bill also states: “Funds may be used for grants for the construction, alteration, or renovation of non-Federally owned facilities to improve preparedness and response capability at the State and local level.”

Other funding streams relevant to GNYHA members include:

  • $826 million for the National Institutes of Health to support basic research and the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics
  • $500 million for masks, protective equipment, and other medical supplies for sites such as hospitals and nursing homes
  • $300 million for the Hospital Preparedness Program
  • $500 million for the emergency telehealth waiver to support telehealth services
  • $100 million for community health centers
  • $10 million for worker-based training

The bill creates various other COVID-19 funding streams. GNYHA will work with Federal, State, and City authorities to identify funding opportunities for our members. New York State has also appropriated $40 million to be used broadly to respond to COVID-19.

GNYHA will remain active on Capitol Hill for as long as necessary to ensure that providers have the resources they need to stem the spread of and treat those who contract COVID-19.