As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to tax hospitals throughout the country, there is a growing concern that many hospitals, in particular rural hospitals, may not have the reserve to remain fiscally viable. A new Health Affairs blog explores the vulnerable state rural providers were in prior to the pandemic, and the capacity for rural providers to deal with a surge of patients. Because most rural hospitals operate on razor thin margins, high margin services such as elective surgery keep them afloat. For many rural hospitals, canceling these profitable services to cope with the outbreak may be the tipping point for financial catastrophe.

The UNC Sheps Center reports that two rural hospitals in Florida have closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic and converted to off-campus emergency departments. Both Shands Live Oak Regional Medical Center and Shands Starke Regional Medical Center were CAHs that were part of a sale and required to cease all non-emergency services by May 1^st. Both are now operating as off-campus emergency departments of Lake City Medical Center and North Florida Regional Medical Center. The total number of rural hospital closures since 2010 is now 130, and 2020 is on-track to surpass last year’s record number of closures.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) approved the purchase of $1.2 billion of boxed agricultural products as part of the Coronavirus Farm Assistance Program (CFAP), Farmers to Families Food Box Program. The list of contracts can be found on USDA’s website, and we have requested that USDA provide a list of PA companies – we will be sure to share with you as soon as we get the full list, but congratulations in advance to all PA farms and processors who were awarded funds.

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Teresa Miller announced an Emergency Assistance Program (EAP) to help low-income families who lost wages experiencing financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Families who qualify will be eligible for a one-time payment to assist them in meeting basic needs and help them secure more stable financial footing in the future.

The program will use existing Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds to provide support to low-income families who qualify. The program will be open to families with a child under the age of 18 or a woman who is currently pregnant. In order to qualify, families must have at least one person in the household who was employed as of March 11, 2020 and experienced an hour or wage reduction of at least 50 percent for two weeks or more or lost employment entirely due to the public health crisis.

Families must meet income limits of 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and have no more than $1,000 in a savings or checking account.

Qualifying families will be issued a one-time grant equal to two months of TANF benefits. The average monthly TANF grant for a family of three is $403, so a qualifying family of three would receive a one-time grant of $806 through the program. Information on monthly grants by household size and county is available online here. Funds will be issued through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card.

Pennsylvanians can apply for Medicaid, the EAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and other public assistance programs at any time through DHS’ online COMPASS application at www.compass.state.pa.us. Those who prefer to submit paper applications can mail documents to their local County Assistance Office (CAO) or leave documents in a CAO’s secure drop box, if available. CAOs are still closed to the public, but mail and drop boxes are being monitored so applications can be processed.

This report provides an overview of the healthcare-related provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, passed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It focuses on sections of the law addressing medical supply shortages, testing and preventative services, and support for the healthcare workforce. It discusses provisions related to telehealth services and rural healthcare systems. Read more here.

This April 16, 2020 webinar recording highlights the state of rural broadband and its capacity to handle the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. It discusses remote work, distance learning, telehealth, the CARES Act, and the pandemic in Indian Country. The webinar is presented in two parts. Find Part 1 here. Find Part 2 here.

This video provides a recording of an April 24, 2020, webinar on HIPAA privacy and health information technology security issues related to COVID-19. It discusses several U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights actions during the pandemic, including notifications of enforcement discretion and guidance for telehealth remote communications, first responders and public health authorities, and other stakeholders. Find the video here.