Urgent action is needed now: Provider Relief Fund dollars may be in jeopardy.
Late last night, Argentum learned that the remaining $20+ billion in the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) is being considered as a potential source of revenue to pay for the $953 billion bipartisan infrastructure package. While we have not been able to officially confirm this, we need all senior living advocates to help amplify our message to oppose this effort.
We anticipate that the bipartisan infrastructure package will be finalized over the weekend and the formal consideration will begin as soon as Monday. An initial cloture vote on the package (the process to begin debate) was blocked yesterday by Senate Republicans as they refused to advance a bill without the legislative text finalized. However, Senator Rob Portman (R-OH), who is leading negotiations with Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), indicated they fully expect to have the votes to avoid a filibuster if the vote is held again as early as Monday, July 26.
Argentum is very concerned that lawmakers may see the PRF as one of the larger sources of unspent funds that could be used to offset new spending, without being fully aware of the immediate needs for these funds, including the forthcoming Phase 4. As such, it is imperative that lawmakers hear directly from senior living advocates - especially if they are among the 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats leading negotiations, or a member of the “G10” subset chiefly responsible for drafting legislative text. This subgroup includes Senators Sinema and Portman, along with Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Mark Warner (D-VA).
Our message is simple: giving away the last remaining COVID-19 relief dollars for an infrastructure package is short-sighted and we fear many communities will struggle to make it through a fall surge, especially with the Delta variant. Assisted Living caregivers have received woefully little relief and need PRF help now with cases continuing to increase in most states.
Your urgent action is needed, please take action through our grassroots platform in the next few hours while the legislative text is still being drafted!
