Sen. Murkowski Joins Bipartisan Letter to HHS Secretary to Advocate for Relief for Senior Adult Communities, Health Care Workers

WASHINGTON, April 18 -- Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, issued the following news release:

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) joined U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) in a bipartisan letter, supported by 25 other Senators, to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to ensure that as HHS sets guidelines for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF), they not overlook certain health care providers. Specifically, their letter calls for HHS to not overlook the providers within nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, senior living communities, independent living, assisted living, memory care, and continuing care retirement communities who are devotedly caring for our nation's seniors, as well as those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

The Senators wrote, "We believe that the essential providers that serve our nation's seniors within our nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, assisted living facilities, as well as those within senior living communities should be included in the category of facilities that receive allocated funds made available by Congress in the PHSSEF. Allocating a meaningful level of support from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to this industry is critical to the seniors who call these facilities home as we continue to take steps to reduce COVID-19 spread and support our health care providers on the front lines."

The letter is supported by the American Health Care Association (AHCA) and the American Senior Housing Association (ASHA).

David Schless, ASHA President stated, "It is vital that as HHS makes funding decisions, they recognize the critical role that senior living plays on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19 to protect our nation's seniors and their need for financial relief. The American Seniors Housing Association (ASHA) and Argentum appreciate the leadership of Senator Lankford and his colleagues in the Senate for their efforts to highlight this need."

Joining Lankford and Murkowski in the letter are Senators Jerry Moran (R-KS), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Kelly Loeffler (R-GA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Todd Young (R-IN), John Boozman (R-AR), John Hoeven (R-ND), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Jim Risch (R-ID), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Mike Braun (R-IN), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ben Sasse (R-NE), David Perdue (R-GA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tim Scott (R-SC), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tom Carper (D-DE), and Pat Roberts (R-KS).

A copy of the letter can be found below:

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Dear Secretary Azar,

We are writing to express our support for all of our nation's deserving health care providers who will in short time begin to apply for the much-needed financial relief programs of the CARES Act, specifically the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PSSSEF). As you set your guidelines for this program, we request that those who care for our nation's most vulnerable not be overlooked. We are specifically referring to the millions of our nation's seniors who are cared for by the hardworking men and women who work in facilities such as nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, as well those serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In addition, we must not overlook those individuals who work within the senior living community, such as those working in independent living, assisted living, memory care and continuing care retirement communities.

Together, these critical providers care for millions of seniors living in the United States. During the COVID-19 emergency, these health care workers provide care for the population most susceptible to COVID-19 infection and least likely to recover. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report released on March 26, 2020, found that "[o]verall, 31% of cases, 45% of hospitalizations, 53% of ICU admissions, and 80% of deaths associated with COVID-19 were among adults aged 65 years with the highest percentage of severe outcomes among persons aged 85 years." The average age of individuals within nursing homes and residents of senior living communities is 85 years old, and residents are typically affected by multiple comorbidities, making them significantly more vulnerable to further complications from COVID-19 exposure.

As you know, our nursing homes and senior living facilities are experiencing serious shortages of needed staffing and protective equipment during the COVID-19 public health emergency. Significant investment is needed to stave off both of these shortages. We are hearing from providers in our respective states that are unable to order basic medical supplies, including but not limited to protective masks, gowns, gloves, hand sanitizer, and face shields. We must ensure these supplies are flowing to the providers who are on the front lines of caring for some of our nation's most vulnerable--our seniors.

We believe that the essential providers that serve our nation's seniors within our nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, assisted living facilities, as well as those within senior living communities should be included in the category of facilities that receive allocated funds made available by Congress in the PHSSEF.

Allocating a meaningful level of support from the PHSSEF to this industry is critical to the seniors who call these facilities home as we continue to take steps to reduce COVID-19 spread and support our health care providers on the front lines.