Sen. Smith Pushes to Ensure Funding, Reimbursement for Hospitals, Other Providers Hit by Surge in Coronavirus Patients

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- Sen. Tina Flint Smith, D-Minnesota, issued the following news release on March 18:

U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) is pressing the top Trump Administration Emergency Management official for "clear and strong" assurances that hospitals and other health providers who now face an overwhelming increase in emergency coronavirus patients will get quick federal funding and reimbursement to help them expand capacity to meet the need.

In a letter Wednesday to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Peter Gaynor, Sen. Smith said such funding assurances are second in priority only to ensuring that Minnesota and the rest of the country have adequate testing capacity to allow the country to determine the extent of the pandemic in the United States.

"I understand that you are, rightfully, mandated to avoid [funding] duplication with other agencies, but a clear and strong message from you that states can go ahead and safely assume that the Federal government will come through is needed," Sen. Smith wrote to Gaynor. "I'm urging you to quickly and publicly clarify that FEMA Public Assistance will reimburse for expenses related to building surge capacity at hospitals. Time is of the essence, as the infection spreads in Minnesota and across the nation. Hospitals are doing all that they can to build capacity to withstand the dramatically increased intensive care needs they will soon see, and they need reassurance that they have FEMA's support."

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March 18, 2020

The Honorable Peter T Gaynor

Administrator

Federal Emergency Management Agency

500 C Street, SW

Washington, D.C. 20472

Dear Administrator Gaynor:

I write today about the urgent need to clarify that, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, funding for intensive care surge capacity at hospitals will be reimbursed by FEMA or another agency. Second only to testing capacity, this is the most urgent need that health care providers in Minnesota have identified, and we can't let any confusion about Federal support cause states to proceed at anything less than full speed.

On March 13th, President Trump declared a national emergency under the Stafford Act, freeing up billions of dollars from FEMA to be used to reimburse states and tribal governments as they respond to COVID-19. Because of this action, tribes and states -and local government entities and private non-profit organizations acting through their states -can apply to be reimbursed for emergency protective measures taken at the direction or guidance of public health officials. These entities are waiting, and I fear hesitating, as FEMA and HHS sort out which categories of assistance will be reimbursed by FEMA. I understand that you are, rightfully, mandated to avoid duplication with other agencies, but a clear and strong message from you that states can go ahead and safely assume that the Federal government will come through is needed.

I'm urging you to quickly and publicly clarify that FEMA Public Assistance will reimburse for expenses related to building surge capacity at hospitals. Time is of the essence, as the infection spreads in Minnesota and across the nation. Hospitals are doing all that they can to build capacity to withstand the dramatically increased intensive care needs they will soon see, and they need reassurance that they have FEMA's support.

I appreciate your consideration of this request. Should any questions arise, please do not hesitate to contact Pete Wyckoff([email protected]) or Kripa Sreepada ([email protected]) on my staff.

Sincerely

Tina Smith, United States Senator