On April 13, the workplace of U.S. Senator Dick Durbin introduced as an extension of the Biden Administration’s American Rescue Plan, they might be offering over $3 million in funding for 6 healthcare suppliers in rural Illinois.
According to Durbin, the meant objective of the spherical of funding is to help the general public in accessing COVID-19 vaccines, testing, meals help and different healthcare companies.
“Across Illinois, rural hospitals and health care providers are the backbone of their communities, providing essential access points to care and anchoring the local economy,” Durbin said in a press launch. “Yet, many grapple with financial vulnerabilities that have only increased during the pandemic.”
In the identical press launch, Senator Duckworth made clear her intentions in serving to cross the funding measure.
“Illinois’s rural healthcare providers are critical to extending reliable and accessible care to Illinoisans and providing jobs in communities,” Duckworth mentioned. “Democrats intended for the American Rescue Plan to serve working families and by supporting healthcare access across our great state, we’re able to help do that.”
One of the organizations included within the line of funding is Arrowleaf, a nonprofit that gives dozens of packages for behavioral well being, developmental companies and group collaboration throughout southern Illinois. Sherrie Crabb, CEO of Arrowleaf, mentioned the meant use of the funds might be to renovate an Arrowleaf constructing in Cairo, Illinois.
“This building really needs an upgrade,” Crabb mentioned. “It’s not had any major improvements since it was built in the early 2000s to late 1990s. […] We requested $362,900 from the federal government and we are matching 25%, so we’ll end up sharing the cost. We’ll put another $120K-121K into the project and the total renovations are going to be a little more than $483,000.”
Crabb mentioned that she believes the placement in Cairo will present a optimistic influence on the group as a complete.
“We’re just really excited for a new building in Cairo to be invested in and be a shining light,” Crabb mentioned. “If you or anybody else has been to Cairo, there’s a lot of dilapidated buildings and buildings that are just vacant or half-burned, and so to be able to kind of bring that focal point and light to the main road there in Cairo, I think it’s going to be hopefully a good thing.”
Another hospital set to obtain funding is Illini Community Hospital in Illini, Illinois. This hospital might be receiving practically $900,000 for a brand new drive-thru clinic, which is able to present COVID vaccinations, testing and remedy. Kathy Hull, CEO of the hospital, mentioned the objective of the brand new clinic was to lower potential publicity.
“In case there is another spike,” Hull mentioned, “we would be able to use the drive through as a testing location as well as a potential treatment for lower level care needs without unduly putting people at risk for exposure to sicker patients.”
Hull mentioned the Illinois Senate making some adjustments to Medicaid and Medicare can be helpful, in her opinion.
“I would love to see some legislation governing Medicare and Medicaid replacement plans,” Hull mentioned, “as it seems there are some that are very willing to deny every claim on the first try with not a lot of justification and this just adds to the cost of healthcare overall.”
Another group receiving funding from the plan is the Salem Township Hospital in Salem, Illinois. The hospital is being supplied with practically $800,000, which might be used to finance development and fund new tools like video monitoring techniques, disinfectant chemical compounds and incubators. Alexander Nazarian, the CEO of Salem Hospital, mentioned a good portion of the funding might be used to improve their present airflow system.
“A large portion of these funds will be used to upgrade our private patient rooms to negative air flow,” Nazarian mentioned. “This means that the contaminated air is safely vented outside and does not pose danger to the rest of the building. This will double our bed capacity to admit COVID patients and reduce the shortage of staffed beds that becomes an issue at every outbreak.”
While the funding will definitely support the hospital, Nazarian believes there may be extra the Illinois Senate ought to be specializing in within the realm of public well being sooner or later.
“COVID has exposed quite a few vulnerabilities in the health care delivery continuum,” Nazarian mentioned, “We are fortunate in Illinois to have healthcare coverage for the majority of our population. I think in the long term the Senate needs to look at how this coverage is applied. We are seeing a proliferation of insurance coverage such as high deductible plans or managed care Medicaid or Medicare plans that discourage patients from seeking care until it’s too late.”
Staff reporter Ethan Braun could be reached at [email protected].To keep updated with all of your Southern Illinois information comply with the Daily Egyptian on Facebook and Twitter.