U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced on Tuesday that 481 rural health providers in Oregon will receive a total of $118,654,854 for COVID relief under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Good Shepherd Health Care System is slated to receive $2.6 million.
“For the past 20 months, Oregon’s rural health providers have shouldered a heavy burden of this public health crisis—from illness prevention to treatment to vaccination and boosters—and they have been providing quality treatment 24/7,” Wyden said. “These providers deserve every ounce of federal support to help them keep Oregonians safe and healthy, and I’m glad the ARPA I was proud to support is providing them that help to do their jobs.”
Merkley echoed Wyden’s sentiments.
“This ARPA funding will give necessary relief to Oregon’s rural health clinics, whose services contribute to the health and safety of rural communities across the state,” Merkley said.
This month, the Human Resources & Services Administration began releasing ARPA rural payments to health providers and suppliers who have served rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Medicare beneficiaries. The average payment was about $170,700, with payments ranging from $500 to about $43 million. Providers in all 50 states, Washington, DC, and six territories will receive ARPA rural payments.
