Manchin Applauds SBA Decision To Allow Publicly Owned Hospitals To Apply For PPP Loans
Charleston, WV – After pressure from U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) and his bipartisan colleagues, the Small Business Administration (SBA) today announced their decision to allow publicly owned hospitals to apply for Paycheck Protection Programs (PPP) loans. On April 9th, Senator Manchin led nine bipartisan Senators in urging Senate leadership to clarify eligibility for publicly owned hospitals and similar care providers for PPP loans.
“Two weeks ago I urged the SBA to allow publicly owned hospitals to apply for PPP loans and today they announced they will do so. I have been advocating for our publicly owned hospitals throughout the COVID-19 pandemic because without our rural hospitals, our healthcare system in West Virginia would be hurting. While this is a great step for our healthcare providers, especially our rural hospitals who are running on shoestring budgets, I will continue fighting to change the emergency healthcare funding distribution formula to ensure our rural providers receive their fair share and I won’t stop pushing for the commonsense, bipartisan fixes we know we need to make the PPP program work for Main Street, not Wall Street,” said Senator Manchin.
Senator Manchin has proposed HHS alter the formula to distribute emergency funding to hospitals include the following metrics:
· A 20 percent Rural Benchmark in the Provider Relief Fund.
· Priority should be granted to facilities that have been significantly affected by COVID-19 preparation. Rural facilities have lost 50 percent to 80 percent of revenue due to the elimination of non-emergency services as they prepare for a COVID-19 surge. Access to funds is critical. If they do not receive relief, most will close by the time the surge hits their rural community.
· Priority should be granted for facilities that provide care for a disproportionally high percentage of Medicare and Medicaid patients.
· Priority should be granted for facilities that provide care for populations with above average senior populations or co-morbidities that are particularly vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 and for populations in areas with limited access to health infrastructure.
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A timeline of Senator Manchin’s actions throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic can be found here.
Senator Manchin launched an information resources page where West Virginians can learn more about the coronavirus pandemic and how to protect themselves and their families. To learn more please click here.
To receive daily updates from Senator Manchin on the coronavirus pandemic, please click here.
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