Louisiana and Mississippi Hospitals Receive More Katrina Aid
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services press release:
Hospitals in Louisiana and Mississippi still working to recover from the Hurricane Katrina disaster will receive $19.1 million in additional assistance from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Three years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the Gulf coast, many state health care delivery systems are still attempting to rebuild. To date, HHS has provided the region with more than $2.5 billion to assist in funding for social services, health care, and efforts to rebuild the health care system in the states hardest hit by the storms.
The additional grant funds will help support provider operations until the Medicare prospective payment system can adjust for changes in local wage scales. Funding for hospitals and inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs) will be allocated to these two states with just over $10 million available to Louisiana and nearly $9 million to Mississippi.
States will have discretion to determine which hospitals and IPFs and/or regions are still experiencing the most post-Katrina difficulties and will receive grant funds. Facilities, however, must be located in counties or regions which continue to be designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as eligible to receive individual and public assistance.
View the entire press release at: http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/05/20080506a.html .
