Senate Passes New Funding for Hospitals, Health Care Workers

HARRISBURG (Jan. 26, 2022) – The state Senate this week approved critical funding for hospitals and frontline health care workers who continue to keep Pennsylvanians safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sen. Elder Vogel, R-47, said.

House Bill 253 would allocate a total of $225 million to hospitals and their employees. The additional dollars will 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.
• $15 million for the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program.

Of that total, the major health care facilities that provide services to those living in the 47st Senatorial District are to receive a total of nearly $4.5 million. Those receiving funding include:

• Butler Memorial Hospital – $837,018
• Grove City Medical Center – $190,749
• Heritage Valley Beaver – $811,395 (plus and additional $140,183 for its behavioral health facility)
• Heritage Valley Sewickley – $455,520
• UPMC Jameson North – $415,662
• UPMC Cranberry Campus – $102,492
• UPMC Passavant – $1,101,789
• Brighton Rehabilitation and Wellness Center – $70,092
• Butler Memorial Hospital – $179,610
• Mars Home for Youth (MHY) Family Services – $175,229

The legislation requires the funding to be directed to retention and recruitment programs for staff. Hospital executives and administration, contracted staff and physicians would not be eligible for payments.

The bill was also approved by the House of Representatives, sending the legislation to the governor.