MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers announced June 11 hospitals across Wisconsin will receive direct payments from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to assist with lost revenue and expenses they’ve incurred related to the COVID-19 pandemic in March, April and May. DHS will distribute these payments from $40 million of funding provided to Wisconsin under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

Hospitals will receive a single payment from DHS based upon their percentage of both inpatient and outpatient Medicaid revenue, compared to other facilities throughout the state. Calculated payments will be offset by COVID-19 related relief payments provided by other federal programs, private insurance, the Indian Health Service, Medicaid, or Medicare. 

The $40 million program is in addition to the distribution of personal protective equipment, as well as COVID-19 test kits and other supplies directly to hospitals and health care partners across the state. The State Emergency Operations Center has worked closely with hospital systems throughout the response.

DHS will be reaching out to hospitals with more details on the program. Hospitals can expect to begin receiving payments by the second week in July.