Shaheen, NH Delegation Welcome $12.4M for 12 NH Health Care Providers in Latest PRF Allocation
(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and U.S. Representatives Annie Kuster (NH-02) and Chris Pappas (NH-01) welcomed $12,417,525 to support 12 New Hampshire health care providers that have experienced revenue losses and expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding comes as part of a $1.75 billion national announcement in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 payments from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Shaheen has led bipartisan efforts in the Senate to shore up the PRF to support providers on the frontlines of the pandemic. In September, Shaheen welcomed news that $25.5 billion through the PRF and American Rescue Plan (ARP) rural distribution would open after she and Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) discovered 25% of allocated PRF funding was unspent and led the push to quickly rectify it. Shaheen also fought to secure a set-aside for rural providers during ARP negotiations. Earlier this year, Shaheen introduced bipartisan legislation to support overwhelmed providers by delaying complex PRF reporting requirements until after the end of the public health emergency, and extending the use of PRF dollars to enhance workplace safety.
“After working across bipartisan lines to bolster the PRF to deliver much-needed resources to overwhelmed health care providers, I’m thrilled to see this funding continue to reach providers across New Hampshire. The PRF has been a lifeline for hospitals and providers during the pandemic who’ve struggled to hire additional help and ramp up operations to meet the unprecedented demand for their services,” said Senator Shaheen. “This $12.4 million award is one of the most substantial rounds of PRF funding New Hampshire has received to date and will alleviate the pressure facing a dozen Granite State providers. I’ll keep working to ensure our health care providers have what they need as we work our way out of this pandemic.”
“Granite Staters rely on their local providers for high-quality medical care, which is why it’s important that we continue to provide support to these centers and ensure that they can continue to deliver care,” said Senator Hassan. “This federal funding will help providers in our state deliver vital health services to Granite Staters, and I will continue to work to secure federal funding that will help shore up our medical system.”
“The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) continues to be a lifeline to Granite State health care providers who experienced revenue losses due to COVID-19 and are still working to overcome pandemic-related expenses and challenges,” said Rep. Kuster. “I am thrilled to see these resources be distributed to our providers to ensure they can serve their communities and deliver life-saving care to patients throughout New Hampshire. As our state and our country rebound from this crisis, I am proud to advocate for our doctors, nurses, and health care workers.”
“These federal funds will fill critical gaps in providers' budgets caused by lost revenue and increased costs associated with the pandemic, which is essential so they can continue to keep our communities safe and healthy,” said Rep. Chris Pappas. “I’ll keep fighting for New Hampshire’s health providers to receive the resources they need to continue providing life-saving care to all our communities as we recover.”
“Dartmouth Health has been at the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic for more than two years. Funding from the Provider Relief Fund, which takes into account lost revenue and increased costs directly related to COVID has been critical to ensure we can continue to provide high-quality care in our communities. We thank Senator Shaheen for her ongoing support of the healthcare delivery system in New Hampshire,” said Joanne M. Conroy, MD, CEO and President of Dartmouth Health.
In December, the delegation welcomed more than $41 million through the PRF to support 262 health care providers that have experienced revenue losses and expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. In February, they also welcomed an additional $11 million to 25 New Hampshire providers through the PRF as part of a $2 billion distribution nationwide. Last month, an additional $3,208,705 was ushered in through the PRF to support 24 New Hampshire health care providers.
During negotiations with the Senate and White House on the American Rescue Plan, Shaheen helped steer efforts to increase funding for the Provider Relief Fund to ensure hospitals, nursing homes and other health care providers on the frontlines have the support they need to keep their doors open and continue to care patients. Shaheen also defended the Provider Relief Fund from being considered as a pay-for amid negotiations on the historic bipartisan infrastructure legislation that recently was signed into law. She also wrote an op-ed on her efforts to bolster the Provider Relief Fund as a lifeline for providers in the Concord Monitor.
