This week the state legislation approved funding for Senate approved critical funding for hospitals and frontline health care workers.

Area legislators voted for the bill with Gov. Tom Wolf signed into law.

Payments are being made based on the formulas established in the bill. Generally, payments will be based on the number of licensed beds each facility has.

House Bill 253, which morphed into Act 2 of 2022, provides a total of $225 million to hospitals and their employees. The additional dollars will be allocated as follows:

• $100 million for acute care general hospitals, based on each hospital’s share of licensed beds as of Dec. 30, 2021.

• $110 million for critical access hospitals, facilities with a high volume of Medicaid patients, and behavioral/psychiatric providers, based on each facility’s share of unduplicated licensed beds as of Dec. 30, 2021.

Another $15 million is contributed to the PA Student Loan Relief for Nurses Program through the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

“Our local hospitals have sacrificed so much to keep us all safe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Sen. David Argall, R-Schuylkill/Berks. “I’m thankful the Senate approved this important funding to ensure they continue to have the financial support they need.”

Rep. Doyle Heffley, R-Carbon, said St. Luke’s Carbon Campus Hospital was awarded $113,879, while St. Luke’s Lehighton Campus received $462,573.

“I am happy to see this funding go to help those health care employees on the frontline who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much during the pandemic,” Heffley said.

“Our hospitals have been under enormous pressure, especially during the recent surge in cases, as they deal with capacity and staffing issues. This funding will go toward their retention and recruitment efforts to ensure Carbon County residents continue to receive quality health care services.”

State Rep. Jack Rader, R-176, said three Monroe County health care facilities will receive funding: Lehigh Valley Hospital Pocono, $751,601; Pyramid Healthcare Hillside, $394,265, and St. Luke’s Hospital-Monroe, $279,004.

State Rep. Jerry Knowles, R-Carbon/Schuylkill, said locally money has been awarded to Schuylkill Geisinger St. Luke’s Hospital, $113,879; Schuylkill LVHN Schuylkill East, $910,690, Schuylkill St. Luke’s Hospital - Miners, $139,502.

“I recognize the importance of health care workers, especially during the difficulties of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Knowles said. “These funds are integral to ensuring health networks can continue to provide health care to our communities.”

In Lehigh County, recipients are: Kidspeace Explorer Program, $70,092; Kidspeace National Centers - Orchard Hills, $827,957; Lehigh County Center For Recovery, $105,137; Lehigh Valley, 17th and Chew, $86,732; Lehigh Valley-Cedar Crest, $6,049,585; Sacred Heart Campus, $1,351,580, and St. Luke’s Allentown Campus, $1,178,115

In Northampton County, recipients are: Comhar, Long Term Structured Residential Treatment Center, $35,046; Lehigh Valley-Muhlenberg, $1,850,291; Lehigh Valley-Schoenersville, $469,800; Long Term Structured Residence, $61,330; LVHN Hecktown Oaks Campus, $361,385; St. Luke’s Bethlehem Campus, $2,789,892; St. Luke’s Hospital - Anderson, $566,548, and St. Luke’s Hospital - Easton $466,904.

Hospital executives and administration, contracted staff and physicians are not eligible for payments. The funding can only be directed to nurses and other hospital employees.

The General Assembly is also expected to pass another proposal next month that would direct $25 million to EMS and fire companies.