Ohio hospitals to receive $408M in COVID-19 funding

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded $408,019,607 in grants to 28 safety net hospitals serving vulnerable Ohioans.

The grants are part of the $175 billion Provider Relief Fund allocated for hospitals and health providers under the CARES act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. They are being sent directly to hospitals via direct deposit.

The payments are being dispersed to hospitals that serve a disproportionate number of Medicaid patients or patients without health insurance. To qualify, a hospital must have:

• A Medicare Disproportionate Payment percentage of 20.2 percent or greater;
• Average uncompensated care per bed of $25,000 or more. For example, a hospital with 100 beds would need to provide $2,500,000 in uncompensated care in a year to meet this requirement;
• Profitability of 3 percent or less, as reported to CMS in its most recently filed cost report.

All recipients are receiving a minimum distribution of $5 million and a maximum distribution of $50 million.

"The health effects of COVID-19 are serious and often life-threatening. As this virus disproportionately affects some of our most vulnerable citizens, it's critical we ensure those Americans get the care and support they need," U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-13th, said in a news release. "I'm proud of how our local hospitals have stepped up to provide high-quality care during this pandemic, and I know this funding will go a long way so they can keep serving the people of Ohio."

This story was originally published June 15, 2020 at 4:35 PM with the headline "Ohio hospitals to receive $408M in COVID-19 funding."