BAINBRIDGE – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14) and the entire Ohio Congressional delegation met virtually with the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association to discuss the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on its hospitals as well as their patients and employees. Organized by Congressman Anthony Gonzalez (OH-16), the meeting was attended by representatives from:

• Cincinnati Children’s Hospital;
• Dayton Children’s Hospital;
• Nationwide Children’s Hospital;
• Akron Children’s Hospital;
• UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospitals; and
• ProMedica Toledo and Ebeid Children’s Hospitals.

 

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Ohio’s children hospitals have worked to preserve the health and safety of our communities,” said Joyce, Co-Chair of the Congressional Nursing Caucus. “While the full effects of the pandemic have yet to be felt, many of these hospitals are already facing extraordinary expenses associated with responding to this unprecedented crisis. It is critical that Congress provide these hospitals with the resources necessary to overcome the financial burdens this pandemic has placed on them so they can continue to provide the highest quality care for Ohio’s children.”

 

“The CEOs of the member hospitals of the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association were grateful to have an opportunity to speak with Congressman Joyce and the Ohio delegation to help them understand the important role our hospitals have played in the work to protect our state from a catastrophic surge during the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting negative financial implications on our institutions,” said Nick Lashutka, President & CEO, OCHA. “We appreciate their willingness to hear how these unintended, yet very real, consequences have impacted our patients, their families and the 40,000 Ohioans we employ.”

 

In March, prior to the passage of the CARES Act, Joyce led a bipartisan letter to House and Senate Leadership calling for a significant influx of funding to help hospitals and health systems on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. This effort helped ensure the inclusion of over $100 billion for hospitals and health systems in the legislation.

 

You can read the full letter here.

 

Most recently, on April 24, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act was signed into law, providing another $75 billion on top of the initial $100 billion that Joyce successfully advocated for in CARES. With these additional resources, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services “Provider Relief Fund” now amounts to a total of $175 billion to assist health care providers with budgetary challenges resulting from the ongoing pandemic. 

 

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