IMPORTANT AND URGENT MESSAGE FOR COUNTY OR PUBLICLY OWNED RURAL HOSPITALS AND RURAL PROVIDERS: APPLY FOR SBA LOAN/PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROVISIONS IN CARES ACT TODAY!

Congress is currently putting pressure on the Small Business Administration to allow publicly owned rural hospitals to have access to the loan and grant provisions of the CARES Act. As you know, the language lacked clarity and because publicly owned entities were excluded from previous SBA loans (and language in the Act did not specifically include them), many interpreted that as an overall prohibition. However, we are learning that this is not the intent of Congress. Congressional pressure is now being put on the SBA to include the 33% of rural hospitals and 18% of rural health clinics that are publicly owned.

If you are publicly owned, please apply as soon as possible! Congress may not win this fight with the SBA, but there is a good chance that they will. The money in this program will go fast. Make sure you get your application in now: