That money is hundreds of millions of dollars short of what the hospitals say they need. The AHA funded aThis $100 million relief package is going to go to every hospital in the state, but AHA officials said hospitals that have higher outstanding expenses and hospitals that had more COVID patients will likely get more money. That’s because these are COVID relief funds.
Dr. Don Williamson with the Alabama Hospital Association said many hospitals are planning to use the money to pay for things like staffing their emergency rooms and ordering medications, but for some, it won’t be enough to keep operating as normal “For some hospitals, it probably won’t be enough money,” Williamson said. “The worst thing to happen is a hospital closes, but we will also see hospitals scale back services. We will see hospitals be acquired by other systems to support them. I think we are in a transition of the health care system.”
Hospitals originally asked for $375 million from the state to help make up the shortfall. While they did not get it, the state is also giving an additional $100 million to nursing homes.