U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Secures FEMA Funds for Memorial Health System
U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) was instrumental today in securing over $20 million for Memorial Health System from the Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to cover costs associated with emergency measures and increased staffing for their COVID response back in 2020-2021. The funds are essential to ensuring the Memorial Health System can continue to provide care to its patients and community.
Hospitals across the state have been financially pinched as they have awaited the FEMA funds that had been awarded.
“The doctors, nurses, and support staff at Memorial Health System care for Ohioans every day,” says Brown. “It’s why I fought to cut red tape so they can continue to serve patients and provide Marietta and the entire region with quality health care.”
Memorial Health System president and CEO Scott Cantley notes how critical these reimbursement funds are to operations. “We are grateful to Senator Brown for securing the funds at such a critical time. We continue to provide and expand services this region needs while carrying the burden of the extreme expense of labor, supplies, personal protective equipment, and emergency care needed to preserve lives in our community during COVID-19. These funds reimburse us for costs not reimbursed while we took the steps necessary to care for our patients. Though it’s taken time, this will certainly help cover a portion of those expenses.”
Brown notes “Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation’s ongoing recovery.”
