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Allocation of the first $30 billion in emergency federal grants to hospitals and doctors to fight the coronavirus has favored states such as Nebraska over hard-hit New York when measured on a per-capita basis, and that has triggered a national media storm.

A study by Kaiser Health News resulted in this headline in the Daily Beast that stirred internet traffic: "Nebraska getting $300G in federal money for each coronavirus case while NY gets $12G."

That outcome resulted from a decision by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to distribute the first $30 billion in a $100 billion emergency aid package designed to target grants to hospitals and doctors on the basis of Medicare billings rather than the number of coronavirus cases.

HHS said it used that criteria to rush forward with initial payments as quickly as possible.

The next slice of the $100 billion in assistance will be targeted to areas that have been particularly impacted by the virus and to rural hospitals.

The federal grants were approved by Congress "to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus," with funding provided for protective equipment, testing supplies, extra employees and temporary shelters.