Lawrence General Hospital receives $3.2 million for COVID-19 costs

Jill Harmacinski, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.
·2 min read

Sep. 29—LAWRENCE — Lawrence General Hospital is being reimbursed for more than $3.2 million in increased costs due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency granted $3,216,113 in public assistance funds to the 189-bed hospital "for steps taken to protect the health of its work force, patients and the general public while operating in a pandemic environment between July and September 2020," according to a statement.

The expenses incurred included purchasing additional medical equipment and supplies for the treatment of COVID-19 patients; hiring additional medical care staff and supporting services; purchasing personal protective equipment, disinfection services and supplies; and using staff to manage access points and ensure COVID-19 protocols were followed, according to FEMA.

"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Lawrence General Hospital with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation," she said.

LGH officials said "FEMA reimbursement is one of the crucial ways that the federal government is helping replace extraordinary COVD-related costs hospitals like Lawrence General expended to care for COVID patients in the community."

"It is one important piece of Lawrence General's recovery from serving the highest proportion of COVID patients. This FEMA reimbursement in particular was for the purchase of equipment including additional ventilators and other supplies and equipment we needed to serve the higher proportion of patients we cared for during the pandemic. We are going to use these funds to replenish the cash reserves we relied on, and spent down, to meet the higher costs we had at Lawrence General," according a statement released by LGH.

The public assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency, according to FEMA. So far, FEMA said it has provided nearly $1.3 billion in public assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses. Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.