Maryland Delegation Members Announce an Additional $2.6 Million to Support Mercy Health Services’ COVID-19 Response

Today, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone (all D-Md.) announced an additional $2,655,327 in emergency federal funding to help Mercy Health Services continue to care for COVID-19 patients and effectively fight the virus.  

“As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations rise at an alarming rate in Maryland and across the country, the healthcare professionals on the front lines of this emergency are working tirelessly to respond – with some, like Mercy Medical Center’s ICU Director Dr. Joseph Costa, even giving their lives in this battle. To support the efforts of our health care heroes, we must ensure that our hospitals have the tools and resources they need to fight this pandemic and keep Americans safe,” the lawmakers said. “Our delegation will continue to deliver robust federal support to help provide the highest level of care to our communities.”

The funding, authorized under Section 403 of the Stafford Act, comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. It will help cover emergency medical equipment purchases and costs from creating temporary isolation/quarantine rooms.

In March, the lawmakers requested federal approval of Statewide Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 Pandemic. The swift declaration following their request allowed emergency resources to be deployed to healthcare providers across Maryland. In addition to the funding announced today, the delegation previously announced more than $10 million to expand Mercy Medical Center’s COVID-19 treatment facilities and $39.4 million to help MedStar Health and University of Maryland Medical System respond to COVID-19.