FEMA awards UMass Memorial Health $23M for COVID costs

Photo | Timothy Doyle UMass Memorial Medical Center's University campus, which is one of the hospitals in the UMass Memorial Health system.

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By Timothy Doyle

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded UMass Memorial Health three grants totalling almost $23 million to reimburse the organization for costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The three grants, announced Friday, come on top of the $3.6 million FEMA gave the Worcester-based healthcare provider for operating a field hospital at the DCU Center in Worcester during the first year of the pandemic.

The first grant, for $11,771,796 reimburses UMass Memorial for personal protective equipment and other materials between February and September 2020, according to a press release from FEMA.

The second grant, for $3,228,113 is for on-site COVID testing of 16,080 patients at four UMass Memorial facilities between March and Sept. 2020.

A third grant for $6,855,320 is to cover the cost of providing 107,246 tests to patients and the public, as well as associated costs, between March 2020 and June 2021.

“FEMA is pleased to be able to assist UMass Memorial Health Care with these costs,” Lori Ehrlich, FEMA Region 1 regional administrator, said in the press release. “Providing resources for our partners on the front lines of the pandemic fight is critical to their success, and our success as a nation.”

FEMA has reimbursed local colleges for COVID testing and PPE as well as to the City of Worcester for allowing the DCU Center to be used as a field hospital during the pandemic.