HHS releases millions to rural health clinics
WASHINGTON D.C. (Inside INdiana Business) — The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has provided $225 million to Rural Health Clinics across the country for COVID-19 testing. The funding will support over 4,500 clinics to allow for expanded access to testing.
The funding comes from the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. Over $3.9 million was allocated to 79 rural health clinics in Indiana.
“Today’s funding provides rural health clinics with resources and flexibility to boost their testing capabilities to fight COVID-19,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “Further expanding testing capacity, including at RHCs, is a crucial element of safely reopening our country and helping Americans return to work and school. A safe reopening is vital for Americans’ health and well-being, and especially so for those living in rural areas, who may have struggled with access to healthcare long before COVID-19 and found care even harder to access during this crisis.”
The Health Resources and Services Administration is also providing $500,000 to support technical improvements for expanding testing capabilities. A state-by-state breakdown of the funding can be found here.