Hospitals fear being shortchanged in COVID funding | TheHill

HHS has said the second wave will be more targeted to hot spots, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Seema Verma told reporters that details will be released by the end of this week.During a call with reporters, Verma said basing the initial batch on Medicare revenue was the easiest way to get the money distributed quickly.“Using Medicare reimbursement was the fastest way because we had that data,” Verma said.She said the next round will also aim to help providers in financial distress after closing down services to protect public health.“There are providers across the country that aren’t able to work,” Verma said.Lawmakers have also been pressing the agency to get a guarantee that the rest of the funding will go to hospitals hit hardest by the pandemic.In a letter to HHS Secretary Alex Azar on Thursday, Rep. Rosa DeLauroRosa Luisa DeLauroOvernight Health Care: Trump calls report on hospital shortages 'another fake dossier' | Trump weighs freezing funding to WHO | NY sees another 731 deaths | States battle for supplies | McConnell, Schumer headed for clash House Democrats urge Trump administration to reopen ObamaCare exchanges Millennials are the unseen leaders in the coronavirus crisis MORE (D-Conn.) said she was told the agency will need at least a week, if not a week-and-a-half to finalize the formulas and timeline for distribution. Cory BookerCory Anthony BookerMore than three dozen migrant children in Chicago shelters infected with coronavirus Democratic senators want to create panel to determine how to reopen country Analysis: Some states getting 0K per coronavirus case, New York getting K MORE and Bob MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezHillicon Valley: Facebook launches portal for coronavirus information | EU sees spike in Russian misinformation on outbreak | Senate Dem bill would encourage mail-in voting | Lawmakers question safety of Google virus website Democratic senators press Google over privacy of coronavirus screening site Menendez calls for 'Marie Yovanovitch bill' to protect foreign service employees MORE led the state's entire congressional delegation in asking the administration to better target COVID--19-heavy providers with new funding.Complicating matters is the fact that President TrumpDonald John TrumpMichael Cohen to be released early from prison amid coronavirus pandemic: report Biden assembling White House transition team Top Republicans call on Trump to fund WHO pending director-general's resignation MORE and Azar have said they want to use part of that $100 billion to cover hospital costs for caring for uninsured coronavirus patients, rather than open an ObamaCare special enrollment period.