WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than $600 million in federal COVID-19 reimbursement funding remains unpaid to Pennsylvania healthcare providers, prompting U.S. Sen. John Fetterman to demand faster action from FEMA.
What This Means for You
- Pennsylvania healthcare providers are still awaiting COVID-era reimbursements
- Delays could affect hospital operations and staffing levels
- Fetterman is urging FEMA to speed up payments after federal reviews
Fetterman, D-PA, who serves as ranking member of the Senate Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs, sent a letter last week to FEMA leadership criticizing what he described as prolonged delays in distributing Public Assistance funding tied to pandemic response costs.
Public Assistance funding is a FEMA reimbursement program that helps government entities and eligible organizations recover costs incurred during disasters and emergencies.
“As you may know, there is more than $600 million in unobligated FEMA Public Assistance funding owed to healthcare providers in Pennsylvania alone,” Fetterman wrote.
Hospitals Facing Ongoing Financial Pressure
According to the letter, hospitals and healthcare systems across Pennsylvania absorbed major expenses during the COVID-19 pandemic while operating under the expectation that the federal government would later reimburse those costs.
Fetterman said delayed payments threaten healthcare operations and staffing at a time when many providers continue facing workforce shortages and burnout.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, our hospitals, doctors, nurses, and support staff stepped up and delivered for their patients,” Fetterman wrote. “However, this effort placed tremendous strain on hospitals across the state, requiring them to absorb large expenses to protect their communities.”
Concerns Over Federal Delays
Fetterman acknowledged the importance of federal oversight and fraud prevention but argued that completed reviews should not delay payments indefinitely.
“It is incumbent on FEMA, and the entire Federal government, to fight waste, fraud, and abuse, and we support subjecting the largest reimbursements to serious scrutiny,” he wrote. “However, once such reviews are complete, there is no excuse for allowing bureaucratic red tape to slow disbursement of funds.”
He called the delays “inexcusable” and said they conflict with President Donald Trump’s stated focus on improving government efficiency.
Pandemic Costs Still Unresolved
The senator said healthcare providers incurred substantial costs during the pandemic while attempting to contain virus spread, care for infected patients, and maintain safe facilities for staff and the public.
“These reimbursements are critical to the financial health of crucial medical providers and must be disbursed quickly,” Fetterman wrote.
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