NH Delegation Announces $115.4 Million in COVID-19 Relief Funds for Rural Hospitals and Health Care Providers through CARES Act

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) announced with Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) that New Hampshire rural hospitals and health care providers will receive $115.4 million in a third installment of federal grants established under the bipartisan Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law. In total, the law includes $100 billion for health care providers. The first $30 billion was disbursed to providers throughout the country earlier this month and included $164.5 million for those in the Granite State. In a second allotment announced earlier this week, New Hampshire providers received nearly $16 million, and an additional $10.8 billion from that tranche of funding will be soon be made available for providers in New Hampshire and across the country.

By standing firm in negotiations on the COVID-19 response legislation signed into law last week, Senator Shaheen and the delegation helped secure an additional $75 billion in funding for health care providers that are providing frontline treatment to COVID-19 patients.

“Now more than ever, we need to ensure that health care is accessible to all who need it, which is especially critical in our rural communities. Our rural hospitals and providers have been forced to furlough hundreds of workers and are struggling to keep the doors open as we deal with the greatest health crisis of our time,” said Senator Shaheen. “I’m glad these federal dollars have been distributed to our rural providers, but much more work remains to ensure they can continue to deliver vital medical services to Granite State families. I’ll keep urging the Trump administration to get the additional federal support provided by Congress to our frontline providers and workers, and will continue to call for stringent congressional oversight so relief reaches those who need it most. I’ve been in constant communication with our providers, small businesses, first responders, nonprofit organizations and many more on the frontlines of the COVID-19 crisis, and will ensure their voices are heard in future coronavirus response legislation.”

“Rural hospitals and health care providers are facing enormous challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and this CARES Act funding will help save lives in rural communities across our state,” said Senator Hassan. “Especially given recent layoffs, it’s critical that our rural health care providers have the resources they need not only to support COVID-19 patients, but also to continue to treat everything from heart attacks to car accident injuries. Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our communities, and I will continue to push the administration to prioritize funding for health care providers that most need it.”

“This unprecedented health crisis has put immense financial strain on rural New Hampshire hospitals and health care providers, and revenue shortfalls as a result of this pandemic have forced many to furlough workers,” said Congresswoman Kuster. “This CARES Act funding will help to ensure that our hospitals in rural Granite State communities have the resources they need to continue caring for patients and keep our communities safe. I will continue working to ensure that health care providers in New Hampshire have the necessary funding and resources throughout this public health and economic crisis.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic has put a serious strain on our health care system, which is even more pronounced in rural parts of New Hampshire. That is why it is crucial we continue to provide support for rural hospitals and providers throughout the state,” said Congressman Chris Pappas. “CARES Act funds are bringing critical resources to New Hampshire for our hospitals, our community health centers, and our health care providers and I am committed to continuing to work with our federal delegation to advocate for every resource available get our state the support we need, beat this virus, and safely reopen our economy.”

Following conversations with Granite Staters and during negotiations of the CARES Act, Shaheen called on Senate leadership to prioritize a number of health care-related issues in the legislation, including a boost in funding for health care providers on the front lines. Heeding a bipartisan call led by Shaheen and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA), last month, the Trump administration agreed to address Medicare’s Accelerated and Advance Payments Program interest rates for health care providers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic in future economic response legislation. To date, New Hampshire providers have received $689 million in upfront payments through this program to mitigate the economic shortfall caused by the pandemic.

In total, Congress has now provided $175 billion for grants for health care providers.

The New Hampshire congressional delegation has fought to secure additional funding and supported numerous efforts to help the state in its response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Last week, Congress passed a fourth coronavirus response bill to replenish federal funds for small business assistance programs, bolster support for hospitals and providers on the frontlines and to ramp up testing for COVID-19. This legislation includes an additional $75 billion in health care provider grants.

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