Island health-care providers to receive $3.6 million in federal aid

LIHU‘E — Eighteen Kaua‘i health-care providers will receive more than $3.6 million in federal funding under the American Rescue Plan.

Local grant recipients include a wide variety of practices and operations, from hospitals and clinics to physical therapists, dentists and more. All serve rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicare beneficiaries.

“This new federal funding will provide a lifeline for rural-health-care providers and help families across Hawai‘i get the health care they need as we continue to fight this pandemic,” said U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Tuesday.

“Helping these providers keep their doors open will keep people in Hawai‘i healthy, create jobs and improve our quality of life.”

More than $43 million will go to 240 rural-health-care providers statewide, according to Schatz.

The grants can be used to pay salaries or recruit workers, purchase supplies or equipment such as N95 or surgical masks or ventilators, make capital investments, or cover other expenses related to preventing or responding to COVID-19, the announcement states.