The governors of Arkansas and Minnesota have requested American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to support hospitals in their states struggling with the surge in COVID-19 cases.
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) requested $50 million in federal ARPA funds to pay for extra hospital beds across the state. This request was approved by the Arkansas ARPA Steering Committee, established in 2020, and will move on to the legislature for approval.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) submitted a plan to the state’s Legislative COVID-19 Response Commission requesting $40 million in new ARPA funding. The new funds would support hospital staffing across the state.
Further, the Minnesota Department of Health is taking emergency actions to support the ongoing crisis, including waiving licensing fees and restrictions associated with adding new beds in hospitals or nursing homes.
Visit the America’s Essential Hospitals coronavirus resource page for more information about the pandemic.
Contact Senior Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.