Stauber Calls for Administration to Distribute Unallocated Funds to Senior Living Facilities

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) joined a bipartisan group of his colleagues in sending a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar to request that unallocated funds from the Provider Relief Fund be delivered to senior living facilities for testing and personal protective equipment. Many of these facilities are suffering financially because of decline in occupancy rate.

Of this request, Congressman Stauber stated, "While COVID-19 has impacted countless Americans, our senior citizens are most threatened by this virus. Many of these seniors live in senior living facilities, where staff are working tirelessly to protect and care for them. It is imperative we help our seniors and their dedicated caregivers, which is why I am working to distribute unallocated funds to help these facilities recover and continue their important work."

The letter reads (in part):

"Senior living communities currently estimate COVID-related losses to total $15 billion. These losses are long-term, compounding, and unsustainable. Unlike other providers, whose losses were felt in the earlier days of this pandemic (due to loss of elective procedures), the senior living industry is suffering its most significant losses now and these losses will only be compounded in the future. This is due to the sharp decline in occupancy rate. Many providers are reporting declines in admissions of 75% compared to the same period in 2019. In fact, assisted living occupancy fell to a record low in the second quarter of 2020.

"Such devastating losses are not sustainable and will dramatically impede the ability of these facilities to administer long-term rapid-testing and vaccinations. Therefore, senior living communities must have the financial resources to procure tests and acquire the requisite PPE and staff to effectively implement widescale testing. We urge you to allocate unused Provider Relief Fund monies, immediately, to provide assisted living communities with much needed support."

Read the full letter, HERE.

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