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$116 million plan proposed to help rural Arkansas hospitals, nurses and other medical needs

The state is working to push a plan that will help keep the doors open for rural hospitals and provide extra pay for nurses on the front-line.
Credit: Governor Asa Hutchinson

ARKANSAS, USA — Gov. Asa Hutchinson on Thursday (Mar. 26) rolled out a $116 million plan to support rural hospitals, increase pay for nurses, provide workforce training and other measures as the healthcare system responds to forced changes because of COVID-19. 

The plan will require federal approval.

COVID-19 cases in Arkansas rose from 280 on Wednesday to 335 as of early afternoon Thursday. 

There were two deaths reported Tuesday, with a third death reported Thursday. 

As of Thursday at 2 p.m., there were 76,514 U.S. cases and 1,093 deaths.

 Globally, there were around 511,603 cases and more than 23,000 deaths.

There were 41 hospitalizations in Arkansas as of Thursday, a considerable rise from the 12 COVID-19 patients reported hospitalized on Wednesday. 

Of those in the hospital, 13 are on ventilators, up from four on Wednesday. 

Arkansas Secretary of Health Dr. Nate Smith said part of the rise is because the state has improved its data collection process.

“Part of that [rise in numbers] is that we are using a different way of collecting that information from the hospitals,” Smith said during Thursday’s press conference.

Gov. Hutchinson said the state is working through Medicaid to push a plan that will help keep the doors open for rural hospitals, provide extra pay for nurses on the front-line of the medical emergency and even provide help for the homeless to ensure they can be safe and isolated when necessary.

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Following is an outline of key parts of the plan.

  • $55 million for increased nurse pay.
    The money would provide an additional $1,000 month for nurses and $2,000 a month for nurses in facilities with COVID patients. “This will be in direct support for nurses and help in the recruitment of those nurses,” Gov. Hutchinson said.
  • $19 million for workforce safety and training measures
  • $15 million for capital improvements for hospitals with 65 beds or less
    The funds could be used for capital improvement projects like drive-thru test sites and isolation centers.
  • $5 million for healthcare and other support for the homeless
    Department of Human Services Secretary Cindy Gillespie said the fund will be used to encourage the homeless to not congregate and provide healthcare.
  • $1.4 million for uninsured Arkansans

Another part of the plan would include an extra $500 a month for foster care parents.

To read more of this story visit our partner in content Talk Business & Politics.

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