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STATEMENT: Michigan State Medical Society Urges State Lawmakers to Distribute Billions in Federal COVID Relief Dollars
The following is a public statement from Pino Colone, MD, president of the Michigan State Medical Society, calling on the Michigan legislation to spend unallocated federal COVID-19 relief funds.
“It’s time for Michigan’s lawmakers to finish the work that was started in 2021 and move a plan forward to spend the billions in federal COVID-19 relief funds. Michigan is presently in the midst of yet another record-setting surge in COVID hospitalizations. If there were ever a time Michigan’s patients and providers needed additional support, this is certainly it.
“With nearly $5.7 billion at their disposal, Michigan lawmakers have an incredible opportunity to make a substantial difference in our battle against this raging pandemic. It’s time these funds are used as intended: to provide relief. By working together, the legislature and Governor can do a great deal to provide the vital support we need by using these resources to boost vaccinations, expand COVID-19 screening and testing, increase contact tracing and disease surveillance, support medical education, and finally, provide staffing assistance and training that can help alleviate the burden on our overly strained health care systems and workers.”
Michigan State Medical Society, the state's largest physician advocacy association, is calling on state legislators to act in the wake of the latest COVID-19 surge.
The state is sitting on roughly $5.7 billion in federal COVID relief funds out of $6.4 billion that was distributed to it in the middle of last year.
In response to the newest surge of cases, the Michigan State Medical Society on Tuesday issued a statement urging legislators to release the remaining federal COVID relief funds.
The state of Michigan has over 5 billion dollars in pandemic relief to combat this new surge of COVID. Why isn't it being spent?