U.S. SENATE – U.S. Senator Steve Daines today sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar urging the inclusion of senior living providers in a future allocation from the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSSEF).
“The healthcare heroes in these communities are on the front lines of this crisis, and while they continue to do everything they can to care for our nation’s seniors and mitigate the spread of COVID-19, they need financial relief,” Daines wrote. “I appreciate the allocations that the Administration has already made to numerous healthcare providers in Montana and throughout this country, and believe it is critical that we ensure all communities caring for our most vulnerable have access to these much-needed funds.”
While nursing homes in Montana and across the country have received funding allocated from the PHSSEF to help cover the costs associated with protecting residents and staff from COVID-19, including testing, personal protective equipment, and staffing, assisted living facilities have largely been left out of PHSSFF support up to this point.
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit assisted living facilities in Montana especially hard. A recent outbreak in a memory care facility in Billings tragically claimed the lives of 13 residents.
Daines is pushing to ensure that all communities caring for and supporting Montana’s seniors receive the resources needed to keep our most vulnerable safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To read the full letter, click HERE.
Background:
On July 6th, 2020, Daines introduced the Emergency Support for Nursing Homes and Elder Justice Reform Act of 2020 to support the health and safety of Montana seniors during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and extend funding for vital Elder Justice Act programs.
On June 9th, 2020, Senator Daines announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would be distributing additional relief funds to assist our most vulnerable Montanans receiving care in safety-net hospitals, assisted living facilities, and home and community-based settings.
On May 22nd, 2020, Senator Daines announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would be directing $15,615,000 to 60 Montana nursing facilities amid the coronavirus pandemic
On April 16th, 2020, Senator Daines sent a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Azar urging the department to direct funding from the Coronavirus economic relief package to support nursing homes, skilled nursing centers, and senior living communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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