Jan. 26, 2022
HARRISBURG—Rep. Todd Stephens (R-Montgomery) joined his colleagues in passing bipartisan legislation, supported by Gov. Tom Wolf, to provide $225 million to help Pennsylvania hospitals stressed under the COVID-19 pandemic retain and recruit staff. Funds will also be dedicated offering loan relief for nurses.
“Our hospitals are experiencing a staffing crisis that rivals the shortages seen at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak,” Stephens said. “Our hospitals need help retaining nurses and other overworked frontline staff and hiring nurses to handle the spike in patients caused by the omicron variant.”
The additional dollars will be allocated as follows:
• $100 million for acute care general hospitals.
• $110 million for critical access hospitals, facilities with a high volume of Medicaid patients, and behavioral/psychiatric providers of inpatient services.
• $15 million for the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program.
Local hospitals that will receive funds include Holy Redeemer Hospital, Abington Memorial Hospital, and Landsdale Hospital in Montgomery County, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Hospital, and Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
The legislation requires the funding be directed to retention and recruitment programs for staff.
“The money is directed to frontline workers - nurses and other hospital employees,” Stephens said. “Our nurses, who’ve seen us through the most harrowing moments of the pandemic, are exhausted. We need to do all we can to help these dedicated caregivers so they can remain focused on providing exceptional care for patients.”
Representative Todd Stephens
151st District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: David Foster
267.207.0207
dfoster@pahousegop.com
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