Pennsylvania Senate and House Leaders Allocate $225 Million to Hospitals and Frontline Healthcare Workers

Strategic Insights -

Pennsylvania Senate and House Republican leaders have highlighted critical funding to be directed to hospitals and frontline healthcare workers who continue to keep Pennsylvanians safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. House Bill 253 would allocate a total of $225 million to hospitals and their employees. The bill was approved by the Senate on Tuesday and is scheduled to be considered by the House of Representatives today.

The funding would be allocated as follows: $100 million for acute care general hospitals; $110 million for critical access hospitals, facilities with a high volume of Medicaid patients, and behavioral/psychiatric providers of inpatient services; $15 million for the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program. The legislation requires the funding to be directed to retention and recruitment programs for staff, excluding hospital executives and administration, contracted staff, and physicians. The goal is to support the devotion of healthcare heroes and ensure health care facilities have additional resources available to retain and attract personnel in Pennsylvania.

Senate Pro Tempore Jake Corman emphasized the importance of the bill, stating, "This bill recognizes the important role of our health care heroes in meeting the needs of patients in our communities throughout the Commonwealth." Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler added, "The steps we are taking today are a continuation of the efforts our caucus has made to prioritize frontline workers throughout the pandemic."

Key Takeaways:

  • House Bill 253 would allocate a total of $225 million to hospitals and their employees.
  • The funding would be allocated as follows: $100 million for acute care general hospitals, $110 million for critical access hospitals, and $15 million for the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program.
  • The legislation requires the funding to be directed to retention and recruitment programs for staff, excluding hospital executives and administration, contracted staff, and physicians.
  • The goal is to support the devotion of healthcare heroes and ensure healthcare facilities have additional resources available to retain and attract personnel in Pennsylvania.
  • Senate Pro Tempore Jake Corman emphasized the importance of the bill, stating, "This bill recognizes the important role of our health care heroes in meeting the needs of patients in our communities throughout the Commonwealth."
  • Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward added, "Delivering on a promise to the people of Pennsylvania, the General Assembly took a significant step towards managing out of the COVID-19 pandemic today by making a strategic investment in supporting our hospitals and frontline health care workers."
  • Representative Clint Owlett highlighted the importance of investing in hospitals and especially critical access hospitals serving rural communities.
  • Multiple Pennsylvania healthcare networks, including Allegheny Health Network, Excela Health, and Penn State Health, expressed gratitude and appreciation for the funding and recognition.

Statistics:

  • $225 million in total funding allocated to hospitals and their employees.
  • $100 million for acute care general hospitals.
  • $110 million for critical access hospitals, facilities with a high volume of Medicaid patients, and behavioral/psychiatric providers of inpatient services.
  • $15 million for the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program.
  • 200 new flex beds created across WellSpan Health's system to meet the surge in demand.
  • 100% capacity operating in six acute-care hospitals at WellSpan Health.
  • 2 years of the pandemic, with healthcare workers experiencing personal and professional challenges.

Sources:

  • Senate and House Republican leaders.
  • House Bill 253.
  • Pennsylvania State Senator Pat Browne.
  • Senate Pro Tempore Jake Corman (R-Bellefonte).
  • Speaker of the House Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster).
  • Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland).
  • House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin).
  • Senate Appropriations Chair Pat Browne (R-Lehigh).
  • Representative Clint Owlett (R-Tioga/Bradford/Potter).
  • Allegheny Health Network (ANH).
  • Donald Whiting, MD, Allegheny Health Network (AHN) Chief Medical Officer.
  • Claire Zangerle, AHN's Chief Nurse Executive.
  • Excela Health.
  • Carol Fox, Chief Medical Officer, Excela Health.
  • Geisinger.
  • Janet Tomcavage, MSN, RN; Executive Vice President, Chief Nursing Executive, Geisinger.
  • Lehigh Valley Hospital.
  • Brian Nester, DO, MBA, President and CEO of LVHN.
  • Penn Medicine.
  • PJ Brennan, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Penn Medicine.
  • Penn State Health.
  • Deborah Addo, Executive Vice president and Chief Operating Officer, Penn State Health.
  • Temple University.
  • Michael A. Young, President and CEO Temple University Health System.
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
  • Holly Lorenz, UPMC Chief Nurse Executive.
  • WellSpan Health.
  • John Porter, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.