April 30,2020

Grassley Commends Administration Announcement on Help for Nursing Homes

Washington – Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s announcement of further federal help and guidance for nursing facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
“President Trump, his administration and especially CMS should be commended for their efforts in recent weeks to enhance services to older Americans in nursing homes during the pandemic. Last week’s announcement by CMS, which led to increased reporting of COVID-19 cases, gives us a more accurate picture of nursing homes’ predicament during this national emergency. FEMA’s effort to help bridge the gap in emergency supplies, by making seven-day kits of personal protective equipment available to over 15,000 facilities, is equally important.
 
“I’ve worked closely with Administrator Verma and Secretary Azar to ensure that we meet the needs of the health care professionals in nursing facilities who remain on the frontlines in our fight against this pandemic. This announcement of more personal protective equipment will take us even further in that fight. It represents progress, but it’s also imperative that we keep up federal efforts to ensure that these facilities have the emergency supplies needed to protect their personnel for the duration of the crisis, and that we continue to safeguard elder Americans who are among America’s most vulnerable right now.”
 

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