Schumer: Feds Should Reimburse Hospitals For Ebola Preps

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) - One of New York's U.S. senators is calling for the federal government to reimburse hospitals around the state that spent millions preparing for Ebola, even if they didn't see a single case of the disease.

Sen. Charles Schumer says Thursday that his office surveyed hospitals around the state and determined that dozens of them spent between $25,000 and $40,000 on Ebola training, hazmat suits and other equipment. Five hospitals designated by the state as Ebola treatment centers spent an additional $5.5 million.

In New York City, more than $20 million was spent at Bellevue Hospital and on efforts to track at-risk individuals.

The federal government plans to announce soon how it will reimburse hospitals that treated Ebola patients.

An emergency room doctor, Craig Spencer, was the first Ebola patient in New York City and was released from the hospital after beating the virus in November.

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