The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will extend the application deadline for Provider Relief Fund payments for eligible Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) providers, and will reopen the portal for Medicare providers to apply for additional payments from the general allocation. The agency also is creating a process for providers with a recent ownership change to apply for relief payments.
The $175 billion Provider Relief Fund was authorized by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act. The fund is intended to support providers incurring health care–related expenses and lost revenue related to COVID-19 response efforts. To date, HHS has allocated more than $100 billion from the fund.
Medicaid, CHIP Deadline Extension
Medicaid, CHIP, and dental providers now have until Aug. 28 to apply for relief funds from the sole Medicaid provider allocation. Eligible providers are those that did not receive a payment from the general allocation.
This is the second extension of the application deadline; applications initially were due July 20.
Applying for Additional Funding
Medicare providers that did not receive payment from a $20 billion distribution from the general allocation can apply for additional funding beginning the week of Aug. 10. Applications are due Aug. 28.
HHS calculated providers’ share of the $20 billion portion of the general allocation so that payments from this allocation equal up to two percent of net patient revenue.
Ownership Change Challenges
Providers that had a change in ownership also can apply for missed payments from the general allocation. Providers can submit revenue information, along with proof of the change in ownership, beginning the week of Aug. 10. Applications are due by Aug. 28.
The association has a members-only COVID-19 funding tracker, capturing opportunities for essential hospitals to access needed resources. We encourage all members to visit the America’s Essential Hospitals coronavirus resource page for more information about the outbreak.
Contact Senior Director of Policy Erin O’Malley at eomalley@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0127 with questions.