Statement from President and CEO Mike Slubowski on Passage of the American Rescue Plan

It's been a year since the pandemic upended our routines and began to take the lives of more than a half million Americans. With the United States now averaging 60,000 new COVID-19 cases a day, the pandemic is far from behind us. However, vaccines are the light at the end of this dark tunnel. Trinity Health applauds Congress for passing a COVID-19 relief bill that provides critical funding for vaccine manufacturing, distribution, administration and education. It also provides more resources to further improve public health measures including testing, surveillance, education, promoting the importance of personal protection (e.g. masking and social distancing) and mobilizing community partners including health systems.

No one has shown greater resilience than front-line health care workers. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Trinity Health providers have treated more than 37,000 COVID-19 inpatients and another 100,000 patients in ambulatory settings. We will continue to meet the needs of our communities by providing high-quality care to all who need it, while also serving as a trusted vaccine partner; already administering more than a half million life-saving doses. In communities with the highest vaccination rates, we've seen public health embrace hospitals and physician practices as key partners; and when asked to choose their preferred location to receive a vaccine, patients select their doctor's office and community hospitals. The public trusts health systems and expects us to be their vaccine provider.

Trinity Health thanks Congress for boldly addressing the pandemic with funding for public health coordination and vaccine distribution. We are also grateful that Congress appreciated the urgency to expand access to health care coverage and is making it easier for states to expand Medicaid programs. Similarly, we believe the new funding for mental health and substance use disorders will bring needed expansion of services. The support specifically for rural health care providers is also welcome, and will better enable Trinity Health to fulfill our role in arresting this pandemic.

As health systems continue to experience unprecedented financial pressure stemming from the pandemic, Trinity Health look forward to continuing to work with Congress on future legislation to ensure all providers have the financial support needed to weather the remainder of this storm.

About Trinity Health


Trinity Health is one of the largest multi-institutional Catholic health care delivery systems in the nation, serving diverse communities that include more than 30 million people across 22 states. We advocate for public policies that promote Care for the Common Good including expanding health care coverage and care, investing in public health, paying for high-value care, and improving the health of the communities. For more information, visit https://www.trinity-health.org/about-us/.