Poll: Americans strongly support further aid for hospitals, front-line providers

Americans overwhelmingly support hospitals and further aid as front-line health care providers fight to defeat COVID-19, regardless of party affiliation, according to a poll released today by the Coalition to Protect America’s Health Care.

Three-quarters of respondents support providing $100 billion in additional federal relief funding for hospitals and other care providers to help offset the costs associated with the pandemic, and six in 10 believe hospitals are experiencing bad times financially. Large majorities also support providing financial assistance to help impacted businesses continue employee health coverage; tax-free child care, housing, transportation and education benefits to hospital workers caring for COVID-19 patients; and protecting care providers from COVID-19-related lawsuits and hospitals from lawsuits related to shortages of equipment or personnel.

“These results indicate the American people are behind us in our advocacy to ensure hospitals and health systems have the resources they need in the continued battle against COVID-19,” said Coalition Chair Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale New Haven Health System.

Noted AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack, “They know — as we do — that the entire nation is counting on hospitals and health systems to remain strong and resilient in this face of the COVID-19 threat. This is a matter of both public health and national security.” The AHA is a founding member of the Coalition.