Two Russell County health care providers have received funding from Congress as a result of the recently passed CARES Act.
Two weeks ago, in response to the nationwide Coronavirus pandemic, Congress adopted legislation spending One Point Eight Trillion Dollars
($1.8 trillion) in direct aid to individuals and businesses, the largest stimulus package in United States history.
Locally, Cumberland Family Medical Center received One Point Nine Eight Million Dollars ($1.98 million) as part of appropriations to community health centers across Kentucky.
The award to Cumberland Family Medical Center was the largest award among the state’s health centers.
WJRS Local News contacted Tracey Antle, Chief Operating Officer for Cumberland Family Medical. Antle says the money will be used by Cumberland Family’s clinics across 25 counties to cover expenses, including personnel costs, associated with the prevention, preparedness, and response to COVID-19.
Antle said the in person visits of patients to Cumberland Family’s clinics has decreased by 60 percent due to social distancing, so Cumberland Family has initiated a “Doctor on Call” telehealth program to help meet the needs of patients.
The Russell County Hospital received Three Hundred Fifteen Thousand Dollars ($315,000) of CARES Act funding.
According to hospital CEO Patrick Branco, the funding will be used to support expenses related to COVID-19 including diminished volume of patients at the hospital, lowered reimbursement rates, and increased expenses.
The local hospital also received Two Point Three Million Dollars ($2.3 million) in the form of an early payment from Medicare to assist with cash flow issues.
Branco says these funds will need to be repaid to Medicare so the hospital is holding those funds in reserve until needed. Any unused funds will be returned to Medicare, according to Branco.
