Maryland Congressional Delegation Announces More Than $10 Million to Expand Mercy Medical Center’s COVID-19 Treatment Capability

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone today announced more than $10.4 million in emergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services treat more COVID-19 patients.

“We are forever indebted to the devoted healthcare workers who have risked and given their lives – including Mercy Medical Center’s Dr. Joseph Costa – in the fight against COVID-19,” the lawmakers said. “This emergency funding to expand COVID-19 treatment rooms will help ensure the dedicated professionals at Mercy Medical Center can continue their vital work, while increasing Maryland’s hospital capacity and reducing overcrowding to keep healthcare workers and Marylanders safe. We remain committed to securing additional federal funding to provide our healthcare workers and hospitals with the resources they need to get us through this public health emergency.”  

The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help create 32 new isolation and treatment rooms for COVID-19 patients in the Mary Catherine Bunting Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore. 

In March, the lawmakers swiftly requested and secured federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic, allowing emergency resources to be deployed to hospitals across Maryland.

The Delegation previously announced $39.4 million in combined emergency funding to help MedStar Health and University of Maryland Medical System respond to COVID-19.