(INDIANAPOLIS) – Indiana hospitals say the coronavirus relief bill supplies a badly needed lifeline.
The relief bill includes $130 billion for hospitals. $100 billion of that is to reimburse hospitals and doctors for soaring costs as they deal with the flood of patients from the pandemic. Indiana Hospital Association president Brian Tabor says it’s likely more money will be needed as the outbreak grinds on, but says without that immediate shot of support, some Indiana hospitals might have had to close their doors.
Tabor says it’s not clear what Indiana’s share of the money will be. The formula for distributing the aid isn’t available, but Tabor says it’s expected to give higher priority to hotspots for the virus. The same is true for government plans to buy and distribute $16 billion worth of masks and other protective gear.
Marion County is the epicenter of the virus in Indiana, with nearly 500 cases. The eight-county Indianapolis metro area has about two-thirds of the state’s cases.
Tabor says the bill includes other provisions hospitals need, such as authorizing the use of telemedicine for Medicare. He says that will allow hospitals to provide health care while continuing the distancing needed to slow the spread of the virus.
