Buchanan calls on HHS to fund COVID-19 protections in long-term care facilities

As COVID-19 cases spike in America’s long-term care facilities, U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL) called on the Trump administration to dedicate a significant portion of the remaining COVID-19 relief funds to nursing homes and other senior care facilities. 

Specifically, Rep. Buchanan urged U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar to consider targeting remaining monies in the Provider Relief Fund, authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, to these facilities.

“With now more than 100,000 American deaths from the coronavirus linked to long-term care facilities, it’s clear that protecting our seniors must be one of the highest priorities,” Rep. Buchanan wrote in a recent letter sent to Secretary Azar.

From mid-September through late October, nursing homes confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by more than 40 percent, the congressman wrote, noting that such trends are a serious concern for his home state of Florida, which has the largest population of senior citizens in the United States.

“Health experts and organizations including the AARP have sounded the alarm that more resources are needed to support nursing homes,” wrote Rep. Buchanan. “These are significant areas of concern with regards to PPE, testing and staffing at nursing homes with 10 percent of facilities lacking even a week’s supply of masks, 20 percent seeing a shortage of aides, and nearly a third having to wait three to seven days for test results.”

Congress earlier this year appropriated the Provider Relief Fund with $175 billion to help healthcare providers, including skilled nursing facilities. To date, HHS says that roughly $143 billion has been allocated from the fund, with the largest share going to rural and urban hospitals. In comparison, nursing homes and assisted living facilities have received about $10 billion in assistance from the fund, according to Rep. Buchanan’s letter.

“I strongly urge you to provide much-needed funding to help these facilities fight the coronavirus and keep our senior citizens and front-line healthcare workers safe,” the lawmaker wrote. “Protecting our most vulnerable population must be a top priority.”