Congresswoman Elise Stefanik has joined other members of the New York and New Jersey Congressional Delegations in sending a letter to Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar requesting that he prioritize funding for regional hospitals.

The same day, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-NY, released a similar statement calling on Azar to work faster to fund hospitals and health centers.

The State of New York estimates a potential revenue loss of $9 billion to $17 billion in FY21, which begins next week, said a press release from Stefanik’s office.

As of March 31st, New York had 66,497 positive cases of COVID-19. Currently, the health care infrastructure in both New Jersey and New York is incredibly overwhelmed, the press release said.

New York is now the epicenter of the outbreak in the United States.

This letter urges the administration to prioritize federal funding for hospitals located in states who are bearing the brunt of treating infected patients, the press release said.

"Our healthcare professionals and facilities across New York State are facing an unprecedented challenge with the number of COVID-19 cases increasing each day," said Congresswoman Stefanik. "They need critical federal support to help them prepare for surge capacity, increase their workforce, and obtain essential resources like personal protective equipment and testing supplies. We cannot hesitate in providing this funding to our regional hospitals in order to help them treat and care for all individuals impacted by Coronavirus. I will continue to advocate for support for these amazing professionals and facilities who are rising to meet this challenge."

Gillibrand Statement

As New York health care providers battle the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is urging the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to immediately award funds for hospitals and health care providers that were appropriated in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Expediting this funding will help ensure New York’s hospitals and health care providers have the vital resources to combat the COVID-19 outbreak.

New York’s health care infrastructure has been overwhelmed by the coronavirus pandemic; the state is now at the epicenter of the pandemic with over 75,000 cases. Hospitals have lost hundreds of millions of dollars and many of them only have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to last a few days, the senator’s office said.

“New York’s hospitals have become war zones and the financial strain is staggering,” said Senator Gillibrand. “They are in dire need of resources to fight this deadly virus and funding for our health care system must be prioritized for New York, which has quickly become the epicenter of this pandemic. It’s critical that the administration work much faster to provide funds to our hospitals and health care providers so they can save lives and combat the spread of coronavirus.”