Credit: Delmarva Now, Richard Pollitt

The full Maryland congressional delegation Friday announced the award of $742,225,306 for Maryland hospitals and health care providers through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. Created through the CARES Act, this program was designed to enable health care providers to cover the costs of responding to COVID-19.

“Maryland’s hospitals and health care providers are taking extraordinary steps to protect public health and save lives,” said the delegation. “Cost constraints and the need to operate within existing funding structures must not inhibit their ability to respond effectively.”

Approximately $400 million will be allocated to hospitals and $342 million to outpatient health care providers. These awards represent Maryland’s share of the initial $30 billion awarded nationwide today. Congress allocated a total of $100 billion for the program, the remainder of which will be disbursed at a later date.

The delegation includes: U.S. Sens. Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John P. Sarbanes, Andy Harris, M.D., Anthony G. Brown, Jamie B. Raskin and David Trone.