AHA responds to NY Times article spotlighting study on Provider Relief Fund

AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack Sunday submitted the following letter to the editor of the New York Times responding to an article published online on a recent study in JAMA Health Forum on the Provider Relief Fund. 
 
“The authors of a recent study that looked at CARES Act Provider Relief Funds allocated to health care institutions made arbitrary choices about which payments to include in the analysis. This resulted in incomplete or skewed findings.

“It should not come as a surprise that larger hospitals serving more COVID patients received more relief. The analysis also fails to account for special payments made to rural hospitals.

“America’s hospitals and health systems have provided essential services to their patients and communities during this pandemic. We estimated the field would lose hundreds of billions of dollars, including an estimated $54 billion this year alone as they treat sicker patients, spend more for labor, supplies and equipment while people continue to put off care.

“Congress recognized the critical role hospitals play and swiftly took steps to provide support to ensure all types of hospitals would remain resilient.

“These funds have allowed hospitals to continue to serve all who need care. In most instances, hospitals did not apply for the specific amount of funds they received. If they received more than their pandemic-related expenses and lost revenue show, the excess funding will be returned.

“It is in everyone’s interest to keep hospitals strong and our patients healthy.”