Congress allocated $175 billion in relief aid to hospitals and other healthcare providers to cover expenses and lost revenues tied to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some hospitals have returned the relief funds in recent months.
Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente announced in June that it returned more than $500 million in grants it received through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. Though the nonprofit system ended the first quarter of this year with a $1.1 billion net loss, it's finances bounced back in the second quarter. The 39-hospital system ended the second quarter of this year with net income of $4.5 billion, up from $2 billion in the same period of 2019.
HCA Healthcare, a 186-hospital chain based in Nashville, Tenn., announced Oct. 8 that it is returning $1.6 billion in provider relief grants it received under the CARES Act. The for-profit hospital chain, which ended the second quarter of this year with a $1.1 billion profit, is also returning $4.4 billion in accelerated Medicare payments before the loans are due.
Several hospitals that treated large numbers of COVID-19 patients this spring returned grants received from the federal government. In May and June, the following 10 hospitals declined their high-impact payments and returned a total of $183.1 million in funds, according to CDC data.
Coosa Valley Medical Center (Sylacauga, Ala.)
Grant amount: $8.7 million
Funds returned May 21
Drew Memorial Health System (Monticello, Ark.)
Grant amount: $8.9 million
Funds returned May 15
HSHS St. John's Hospital (Springfield, Ill.)
Grant amount: $27.9 million
Funds returned May 13
M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital (Edina, Minn.)
Grant amount: $8 million
Funds returned May 26
M Health Fairview St. Joseph's Hospital (Saint Paul, Minn.)
Grant amount: $24.3 million
Funds returned May 26
M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center-West Bank (Minneapolis)
Grant amount: $17.2 million
Funds returned May 26
Memorial Hospital at Gulfport (Miss.)
Grant amount: $15.4 million
Funds returned May 11
Springhill Medical Center (Mobile, Ala.)
Grant amount: $10.1 million
Funds returned May 13
Tanner Medical Center - Carrollton (Ga.)
Grant amount: $35.2 million
Funds returned June 3
Tanner Medical Center - Villa Rica (Ga.)
Grant amount: $27.4 million
Funds returned June 3