AFTER MONTHS OF TIRELESS ADVOCACY FOR RURAL RELIEF, SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE $1.2 MILLION IN EMERGENCY FEDERAL FUNDING FOR RURAL HEALTH CLINICS FOR COVID-19 TESTING

Sufficient Testing Is Key To Safe Reopening Of New York State; As Seven of New York’s Ten Regions Begin 4-Phase Reopening Plan, Testing Availability Can Stave Off Second Wave Of Infections 

Senators Say Funds Will Fill Gaps In Testing Availability In Rural Communities 

Schumer, Gillibrand: Testing Is Imperative On Rural New York’s Road To Recovery

Following Schumer’s announcements of millions in rural ‘hot spot’ money and billions for testing in New York earlier this month, U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that Upstate New York’s Rural Health Clinics (RHC) would receive an additional $1,285,997 in COVID-19 test funding allocated by Health and Human Services (HHS), as part of Schumer-negotiated ‘Corona-3.5’, to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) and aid in New York’s reopening process. The Senators explained that the funding comes at a critical time, and with seven of New York’s ten regions reopening, testing availability would be critical in staving off a potential second wave of infections.

Additionally, Schumer and Gillibrand revealed that 26 RHC sites in 13 different organizations in New York would be splitting the funding equally and receive $49,461.42 each.

“Only with an aggressive testing strategy can New York finally begin to rebuild and return to life as normal. Our rural Upstate health centers have been New York’s heroes in the battle against COVID-19, and this federal funding I fought hard for will help them ensure that rural communities are safe and ready to reopen,” said Senator Schumer. “I will continue to fight tirelessly to make sure that rural health providers get the federal resources for testing they need to beat back this pandemic and get on the road to recovery.”

“To contain the spread of this disease and safely reopen schools and businesses, we must make COVID-19 testing widely available,” said Senator Gillibrand. “New York has faced more cases of COVID-19 than any other state and this critical funding will make testing and treatment more accessible in Upstate New York. As we fight to flatten the curve, I will continue to advocate for the resources needed during this pandemic.”

New York will be receiving $1.2 million out of a $225 million pot set aside for over 4,600 RHCs across the U.S. The Senators explained that RHCs are a special designation given to health care practices in underserved rural areas by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that help ensure access to care for rural residents.

As of today, there are over 82 thousand confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Upstate New York, and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 in Central New York are at an all-time high. With many regions reopening over the last week, some have seen slight increases in the number of COVID-19 related hospitalizations.

A breakdown of the organizations receiving RHC funding appears below (note: some organizations have multiple sites):

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