ATLANTA — Sen. Jon Ossoff told 11Alive Wednesday that he is working to obtain more funds for Georgia's "safety net" hospitals including Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta.
In a letter, he wrote to Department of Health and Human Services' Secretary Xavier Becerra about the need for Georgia's hospitals to receive additional funds through the Provider Relief Funds (PRF) amid the rise of COVID-19 cases and the spread of COVID-19 variants.
According to Ossoff's letter, Congress has allotted $178 billion for the Provider Relief Fund to reimburse eligible providers for healthcare related expenses and other revenues lost during the pandemic. As of May, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) reported approximately $24 billion remained in the fund, Ossoff said.
With the money still unallocated, Ossoff wrote, "I write today to urge the Department of Health and Human Services to immediately disburse the funds that have been authorized. Further, I urge a significant portion of the remaining funds be for targeted allocations to providers most in need, particularly those which serve disproportionate share of Medicaid and uninsured patients."
Ossoff specifically mentioned in the letter that Atlanta's Grady Memorial Hospital has been on the frontlines since the start of the pandemic and continues to face hardships as a direct result of COVID-19 and the emerging variants.
"I urge you to promptly disburse the remaining funds in a targeted manners to hospitals and health systems that are in urgent financial need and that serve communities hardest hit by this pandemic," he finished.
You can read Sen. Ossoff's full letter below.