Auburn hospital gets $10 million from feds for COVID-19 response

Auburn Community Hospital will receive more than $10 million to cover expenses related to its COVID-19 response, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said Wednesday.The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing two awards nearly $6.6 million for a period covering 2020 to 2022 and over $3.7 million for most of 2022 to reimburse the hospital for hiring temporary medical staff.When COVID-19 cases surged, the hospital hired nurses, medical technicians and other temporary workers to aid its COVID-19 response. In a statement, Schumer, D-N.Y., explained that the hospital hired additional staff despite "experiencing significant revenue losses. ""During a time of crisis, Auburn Community Hospital heroically stepped up to fight the pandemic on the front lines and provide lifesaving care to COVID-19 patients in and around Cayuga County," he said.Gillibrand, D-N.Y., added her appreciation for Auburn hospitals medical team that continues to care for COVID-19 patients amid the pandemic.Scott Berlucchi, president and CEO of Auburn Community Hospital, thanked Gillibrand and Schumer for helping to secure the new funding. I have been The Citizens online producer and politics reporter since December 2009. Im the author of the Eye on NY blog and write the weekly Eye on NY column that appears every Sunday in the print edition of The Citizen and online at auburnpub.com.