Allocation of COVID-19 Relief Funding to Disproportionately Black Counties - Amitabh Chandra

August 7, 2020, Paper: "The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and Paycheck Protection Program together designated $175 billion for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response efforts and reimbursement to health care entities for expenses or lost revenues.1 The most important factor driving funding allocation is past revenue. However, revenue is an imperfect measure of need because it is also influenced by prices, overuse, payer mix, and market consolidation.2 Moreover, non-White and indigent populations generate lower revenues, due to underinsurance and undertreatment,3,4 and hospitals caring for them may receive less relief despite confronting a greater burden of COVID-19.5 We examined how relief funding relates to the health and financial needs of US counties, focusing on disproportionately Black counties."