AHA urges SBA to extend economic “lifeline” to small- and mid-size public hospitals

The AHA today asked the Small Business Administration to make small- and mid-size public hospitals eligible for its newly-authorized Paycheck Protection Program. The AHA requested that “small- and mid-size public hospitals, including those that have both nonprofit and public designations, are allowed to apply for and receive loans” under the PPP through the issuance of interpretative guidance or an interim final rule clarifying these hospitals’ loan eligibility and waiving affiliation rules for hospitals. Doing so, AHA wrote, would provide them with access to a “lifeline for small businesses and other organizations that are suffering significant economic loss as a result of the COVID-19 public health emergency.” Today, SBA updated its PPP program FAQ () for additional guidance to address borrower and lender questions.