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HHS Releases Detailed Methodology for Safety-Net Allocation

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made public the detailed methodology used to determine eligible hospitals for the $10 billion targeted allocation for safety-net providers from the Provider Relief Fund.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act authorized a total $175 billion for the Provider Relief Fund. This fund is intended to support providers incurring health care–related expenses and lost revenue related to COVID-19 response efforts.

In the latest update to the Provider Relief Fund general information website, HHS details the metrics and calculations to identify eligible acute care and children’s hospitals for the targeted safety-net allocation. Specifically, this update provides definitions and data lines from the 2018 Medicare cost report that were used in the eligibility methodology, including:

  • disproportionate patient percentage;
  • uncompensated care;
  • hospital beds;
  • net patient revenue;
  • total other income;
  • total revenue;
  • net income;
  • profit margin;
  • Medicaid-only days;
  • total days; and
  • Medicaid-only ratio.

Hospitals had to meet three metrics to be eligible for payment in this targeted allocation; 761 hospitals received payment.

HHS continues to update the Provider Relief Fund FAQ, which includes how the agency determined payment amounts to eligible hospitals. The agency previously made public a list of total payments by state, including the number of hospitals in each state receiving a payment in this distribution.

The association developed a members only COVID-19 funding tracker, capturing opportunities for essential hospitals to access needed resources. We encourage all members to visit our 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.

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About the Author

Zina Gontscharow is a former senior policy analyst for America's Essential Hospitals.

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