House GOP probes why HHS allegedly pumped billions in pandemic cash to 'highly profitable hospitals'

House Republicans on Tuesday announced an investigation into allegations the Health and Human Services Department misallocated COVID-19 relief funds intended to help low-income hospitals.

The probe is being led by House Oversight committee Chairman James Comer.

In a letter to agency Secretary Xavier Becerra, Comer and fellow GOP committee member Rep. Nick Langworthy allege HHS "funneled billions of taxpayer dollars to highly profitable hospitals in wealthy areas while rural hospitals battled bankruptcy as they strived to provide high-quality care."

The lawmakers, in the letter, requested all documents and communications related to agency's decision-making process for which hospitals and providers received the taxpayer dollars.

They also cited reports that nearly $17 billion of pandemic relief funds went to hospitals with reported profits of $53 billion-plus, while $35 billion went to hospitals that reported a loss of almost $130 billion.

"It is crucial that we understand how the Department of Health and Human Services distributed these funds to hospitals that did not need it while hospitals in need received minimal benefit," the lawmakers also wrote.