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    Q&A
            Discussion on FEMA COVID funding reimbursements and claims
0:14:44
·
136 sec
Council Member Brannan inquires about the status of FEMA COVID funding reimbursements, and John Ulberg provides details on the amounts claimed and remaining to be processed.
- H+H has claimed over $1.5 billion in total COVID-related federal reimbursements
- $212 million is reflected in the current plan, with an additional $230-250 million still being processed
- The total COVID-related expense for H+H was around $3 billion, including PRF funding
                                
                                    Justin L. Brannan
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:14:44
                                        
                                        The FEMA COVID funding.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:14:49
                                        
                                        So the executive plan included $212,200,000 in federal stimulus reimbursements from FEMA in FY '25.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:00
                                        
                                        This is for COVID related costs incurred during the pandemic.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:03
                                        
                                        Could you tell us to date how much COVID related federal reimbursement funding has H and H claimed?
                                    
                                
                                    John Ulberg
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:15:13
                                        
                                        Yes, good morning.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:15
                                        
                                        Yes, it's been billions of dollars.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:18
                                        
                                        It's probably somewhere over $1,500,000,000 in total, and we can, you know, give you the exact number there.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:26
                                        
                                        The $212,000,000 and there's an additional $250,000,000 that's still, you know, being processed, represents the last amount of FEMA funding.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:37
                                        
                                        So we've
                                    
                                
                                    Justin L. Brannan
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:15:38
                                        
                                        So how much is left to claim?
                                    
                                
                                    John Ulberg
                                
                            
                            
                                            
                                            0:15:40
                                        
                                        So there's this $212,000,000 that's reflected here.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:42
                                        
                                        There's another, I think, around $230 or so million.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:46
                                        
                                        We're still working out those final numbers.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:49
                                        
                                        That's been approved by FEMA.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:15:50
                                        
                                        It's been passed from the state to OMB, and it will eventually come over to health and hospitals at some point here soon.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:00
                                        
                                        But in total, it represents the total amount of COVID claiming that you know, we've processed to date, which is, you know, quite an accomplishment.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:09
                                        
                                        We would have never made it through COVID without those dollars.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:13
                                        
                                        There was also, as you may recall, there was PRF funding, was, you know, on maybe another $1,000,000,000 So in total, the whole COVID related expense was somewhere near $3,000,000,000.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:26
                                        
                                        So for us, for health and hospitals, it really was that you know, for me, represents the last chapter of COVID.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:31
                                        
                                        Hopefully, we never have to revisit that again.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:34
                                        
                                        But I it does show to me that government can work.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:37
                                        
                                        Right?
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:37
                                        
                                        We we stood up these services.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:40
                                        
                                        The federal government responded, you know, almost immediately when we didn't have any money.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:44
                                        
                                        We were getting very close to having no money, running out of money.
                                    
                                            
                                            0:16:48
                                        
                                        So through the combination of what we call PRF funds and FEMA funds, again, in the neighborhood of $3,000,000,000, and we're at the at the very end of of that process of claiming those dollars.
                                    