​HHS Announces Additional Provider Relief Funds

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently announced additional targeted funding distributions through the Provider Relief Fund to eligible Medicaid, CHIP Providers, and safety net hospitals. These funds are meant to supply relief to healthcare providers experiencing lost revenues or increased expenses due to the coronavirus pandemic.

HHS expects to distribute approximately $15 billion to eligible Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program providers that participate in state Medicaid and CHIP programs and have not yet received funds from the initial $50 billion general distribution. The initial general distributions provided payments to approximately 62% of all providers participating in state programs. This new targeted distribution will make the Provider Relief Fund open to the remaining 38%.

An enhanced provider relief fund portal will be launched tomorrow, Wednesday, June 10. This updated portal will allow eligible Medicaid and CHIP providers to report their annual patient revenue, which will be used to determine their payment. More information about eligibility and the application process is available here.

We’re encouraging healthcare providers to consult with their cost report preparers or accounting firms before submitting information through the portal. Additional guidance and a deadline for submission is expected soon. Your advisor will be able to assist you substantiating the info you’re required to submit.

Another $10 billion in Provider Relief Funds has also been targeted to go to safety net hospitals and will be automatically distributed this week. This payment is earmarked for hospitals that provide large amounts of uncompensated care or a large number of Medicaid patients. Qualified hospitals will receive between $5 million and $50 million.

The Provider Relief Fund supports healthcare providers battling the COVID-19 outbreak with funds allocated through the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act legislation. Those programs provided $175 billion to hospitals and other healthcare providers.

HHS had indicated that they don’t intend to recoup funds as long as a provider’s lost revenue and increased expenses exceed the amount of Provider Relief Funds they received. We recommend you keep accurate records detailing all COVID-19-related costs and lost revenue. These records will help you prepare for quarterly reporting for these funds and potential reporting requirements for future funding.

Our healthcare team will continue to closely monitor the additional guidance and clarifications issued. If you have immediate issues or concerns, please contact us right away.

Additional Resources:

• Portal Instructions
• Medicaid Provider Application Form
• Terms and Conditions
• Portal

This communication is intended to provide general information on legislative COVID-19 relief measures as of the date of this communication and may reference information from reputable sources. Although our firm has made every reasonable effort to ensure that the information provided is accurate, we make no warranties, expressed or implied, on the information provided. As legislative efforts are still ongoing, we expect that there may be additional guidance and clarification from regulators that may modify some of the provisions in this communication. Some of those modifications may be significant. As such, be aware that this is not a comprehensive analysis of the subject matter covered and is not intended to provide specific recommendations to you or your business with respect to the matters addressed.