FEMA Approves $41 Million to Support Recovery in Wisconsin

FEMA recently awarded $41 million to reimburse Wisconsin healthcare facilities for costs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The funding reimburses emergency protective measures and medical services completed during the pandemic to lessen its impacts to lives, public health and safety. This regional funding is part of FEMA’s announcement of $5.6 billion in federal assistance to states, Tribal Nations and territories for COVID-19 and disaster recovery.

These awards are distributed through FEMA’s Public Assistance program, which provides funding to local government jurisdictions and eligible private non-profits for the repair, replacement, or restoration of disaster-damaged infrastructure as well as costs incurred for debris removal, disaster cleanup and emergency actions taken to protect lives or property. This latest round of FEMA Public Assistance grants in Wisconsin includes:

• $20.8 million to Aurora Health Care, Inc., for contracted medical staff across emergency and inpatient clinical care for treatment of patients with and suspected of having COVID-19.
• $4.8 million to the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority for medical supplies and rental equipment necessary for medical care and the expansion of facilities to aid in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
• $2.7 million to Ascension SE Wisconsin Hospital, Inc. to provide additional medical staffing across four facilities for the treatment and care of COVID-19 patients.

FEMA conducts a review process for all recovery grants that includes verifying compliance with program eligibility rules, ensuring proper documentation of expenses and confirming that claimed activities are consistent with program eligibility criteria to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately.

In alignment with President Trump’s executive order establishing the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, FEMA conducted thorough reviews of claimed costs to identify duplication of benefits, specifically with patient care revenue. These actions help ensure that the COVID-19 Public Assistance funds being obligated are consistent with the executive order’s focus on preventing fraud, waste and abuse. Based on these reviews, FEMA is confident that the costs being reimbursed are eligible and not fraudulent.

FEMA will continue to review additional projects and obligate funds on a rolling basis as eligibility is confirmed, and scopes of work are finalized.