State is working hard to make resources more
readily available for those adversely affected COVID-19
Tennessee received promising news this
week that the steps being taken to mitigate COVID-19 in Tennessee and its
demand on state health care resources are working. The Institute for Health
Metrics and Evaluation shows that Tennessee may have enough hospital and
intensive care unit beds available at the projected peak if Tennesseans
continue to follow guidelines established by state health officials and
Governor Bill Lee. This model is much more positive than earlier
projections and shows Tennesseans are “doing their part by staying apart.”
Grants announced for hospitals and
community health centers – In other news regarding the fight against the
COVID-19 pandemic, two separate rounds of grants were announced this week for
hospitals and community health centers in Tennessee. The state has allocated
$10 million in Small and Rural Hospital Readiness Grants to help relieve the
financial strain placed upon them due to the coronavirus. The grants come from
the $150 million COVID-19 health and safety response fund, which was part of
the appropriations bill passed by the General Assembly last month. For
participating hospitals, the grants will serve as a bridge over the coming
weeks while elective procedures are suspended and new federal funds are still
processing. In addition, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
announced the award of over $2 million in grants in Tennessee for 29 health
centers in response to the coronavirus. These grants, which recognize the vital
role that community health centers provide, are part of the Coronavirus Aid,
Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act supplemental funding passed by Congress
and signed into law by President Trump. The recipients can use the awards to
address such needs as screening, COVID-19 testing, or to acquire medical
supplies or expand telehealth capacity.
CARES Act funding for uninsured
Tennesseans — Governor Lee and Tennessee health officials have been working
hard to ensure each person in the state has access to treatment for COVID-19,
regardless of whether they are insured. The CARES Act provides funds for
treatment for the uninsured. Federal guidance is forthcoming on how funds
from the CARES Act will be directed to providers to serve those without
insurance. The Tennessee Division of TennCare has also submitted a waiver to
the federal government seeking matching dollars to address the uninsured
population.
COVID-19 testing sees improvements —
Tennessee continued to improve access to COVID-19 testing this week. The state
lab received the new rapid COVID-19 test developed by Abbot that shows positive
results in five minutes and negative results within 13 minutes. This
technology will help immensely in relieving the test backlog once it is
maximized. Private providers in Tennessee are also gaining access to this
cutting-edge technology. This helps to keep our state a leader in testing for
the virus, which is extremely helpful as Tennessee flattens the curve. The
state has widened the number of testing sites as well. In order to ensure rural
residents have access to COVID-19 testing, Tennessee has deployed 500 National
Guardsmen, with 250 having medical expertise, to assist in 37 assessment
sites. The Guard has the capacity to deploy additional guardsmen to a
location as needed. Tennessee Coronavirus Public Information Lines are
open and available daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. CDT at 833-556-2476 or
877-857-2945.
Cities and Counties to get $200 million in
grants to help meet financial challenges
In other news on grants, the state
announced applications will be taken soon for $200 million in grants to help
local governments meet heightened demands. The funds were authorized by the
General Assembly in the appropriations act to assist local governments in
meeting financial challenges. Every county and city government in Tennessee is
eligible for a one-time grant to meet local expenses in fiscal year 2021.
The grants can be used for road projects, I.T. upgrades, capital maintenance, utility system upgrades, and public safety projects. Certain disaster-related expenses are also eligible for funding. In addition, one-time expenses related to COVID-19 are eligible including supply and equipment purchase, cleaning, emergency food and shelter programs. Counties impacted by the March 2020 tornadoes may use the funds for tornado relief efforts as well. The funding will be based on population, but each county will receive at least $500,000, and each city or municipality will receive at least $30,000.
Paycheck Protection Program — In addition, the Paycheck Protection Program and Support for Small Business will help those who are suffering losses due to COVID-19. The Paycheck Protection Program https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/top-priorities/cares-act/assistance-for-small-businesses is a loan designed to provide a direct incentive for small businesses to keep their workers on the payroll. The Small Business Administration will forgive loans if all employees are kept on the payroll for eight weeks and the money is used for payroll, rent, mortgage interest, or utilities. The Program authorized $350 billion in fully forgivable loans to help small businesses maintain payrolls.