Bellevue Hospital Center in Manhattan Getting Federal Funds to Help Recovery

New York City lawmakers said Friday that some Superstorm Sandy aid is going to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.

This comes five days after Congress gave final approval to legislation for over $50 billion in Sandy relief. Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens & Brooklyn) said Friday the funds will help Bellevue Hospital continue to come back after the storm.

"They [Bellevue Hospital] are rebuilding in an intelligent way [by] moving the wiring in a way that it won't be struck in another storm, sealing off certain critical areas, [and] moving others to higher floors so there won't be water damage in the future," Maloney said.

The facility is only partially re-opened, and still doesn't have a place to keep patients for overnight observation. Representative Maloney said Friday the money needs to get to the facility quickly.

"We'll be working hard to get the money out of Washington, out of Albany, and into the hands of the hospital," she said.

According to New York Senator Charles Schumer, over $100 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will also be going to public hospitals in the Big Apple. The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation estimated the cost of Superstorm Sandy to be around $800 million at their facilities.