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That's when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer intervened. 

Schumer, D-N.Y., announced Tuesday that the hospital will receive the payments through the federal Provider Relief Fund. The fund was established to help rural hospitals cover expenses and lost revenue amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"Auburn Community Hospital heroically ripped massive holes in their budget to keep our rural communities safe on the frontlines of the pandemic," Schumer said in a statement. "When I heard Auburn was still awaiting millions in funding to recover costs I immediately put the feds' feet to the fire and called Secretary Becerra to say this funding needed to get to Cayuga County ASAP." 

According to Schumer, Auburn Community Hospital applied for funding in September 2021. While other hospitals began receiving payments in November 2021, Auburn's was delayed. Schumer blamed "bureaucratic red tape" for holding up the delivery of funding to the hospital. 

Scott Berlucchi, president and CEO of Auburn Community Hospital, said in a statement that without Schumer's involvement, it's unclear when or if the hospital would have received the funding. 

"These funds are critical to Auburn Community Hospital's ability to cover the many expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic," Berlucchi said. In addition to thanking Schumer, the hospital also said U.S. Rep. John Katko and his staff were helpful in the process of securing the funds. 

The Provider Relief Fund was included in the first federal COVID-19 relief measure passed in April 2020. Schumer pushed for the creation of the program, which is administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, to help health care providers and hospitals, especially those in rural areas, care for COVID patients and deal with the financial effects of the pandemic. 

The initial funding level for the program was $100 billion. Schumer advocated for an additional $86.5 billion, including funding that was part of the American Rescue Plan in 2021.

So far, the Department of Health and Human Services has awarded more than $7.5 billion, including over $290 million to New York health care providers and hospitals. 

"As majority leader, I am proud to have championed multiple COVID-19 relief bills including the American Rescue Plan which provided these pandemic relief funds and I will continue to fight to ensure our rural hospitals and communities have all the help they need to come back from this pandemic stronger than before."