HHS extends phase two deadline for Provider Relief Fund distributions

The U.S. Department of Overall health and Human Expert services is extending the next section software deadline to Friday, August 28, for common distribution to Medicaid, Medicaid managed care, Kid’s Overall health Insurance policy Software and dental providers.

This is the next time HHS has prolonged the deadline. The 1st deadline was July 20, prolonged until finally August three. Suppliers have stated they essential more time to apply.

The office has allocated $15 billion from the Coronavirus Support, Relief, and Economic Protection Act Service provider Relief Fund to be dispersed to eligible providers that failed to receive funding all through the 1st round. Candidates can receive up to 2% of their described income from client care.

The extension also applies to Medicare providers who missed out on applying all through the 1st section of Medicare common distribution. These providers can begin applying for up to 2% of their yearly income all through the 7 days of August 10.

Furthermore, providers who seasoned a change in ownership all through 2020 and who missed out, or the payments had been offered to the previous proprietors can also commence applying for section two starting off the 7 days of August 10.

WHY THIS Matters

The federal governing administration has $175 billion for the Service provider Relief Fund. Congress allocated $100 billion in the CARES Act and a different $seventy five billion in the Paycheck Protection Software and Health care Improvement Act.

The funds go to medical center expenses and shed income because of to COVID-19, and to help uninsured People get testing and treatment method.

The Medicare common distribution funds had been established to supply money aid for those providers. In section a single, virtually 335,000 Medicare providers been given guidance.

By allocating an extra $15 million, HHS hopes to get to the remaining providers who failed to receive funds all through the 1st section. With the deadline extension, the office states it is hopeful it has supplied as a lot versatility as feasible though recognizing the constraints on scaled-down procedures by now working on thin margins with minimal administrative team.

THE Bigger Pattern

Period a single of the common distribution for Medicare providers bundled $50 million in funds. An first $thirty million was despatched instantly to providers to make absolutely sure providers obtained the essential income as rapidly as feasible, according to HHS. It was dispersed proportionately to providers’ share of Medicare fee-for-services reimbursements in 2019. Then, the extra $20 million went out starting off on April 24, based on web client income submissions from eligible providers.

Next section a single, HHS declared the opening of section two in June, with an first deadline for submissions of July 20. That deadline was subsequently pushed back again to August three, because of to provider comments expressing the deadline was as well close to the announcement and more time was essential to total purposes. By conversations with provider businesses, congressional, state and nearby leaders, HHS arrived to the summary that this next deadline extension would be valuable to feasible recipients.

In addition to these allocations, HHS has dispersed $22 billion to hospitals in superior-influence locations, $eleven billion to providers and hospitals in rural locations, $four.nine billion to qualified nursing amenities, $500 million to tribal hospitals, clinics and urban health facilities, and $13 billion to basic safety-web hospitals.

ON THE File

“From the begin, HHS’s administration of the Service provider Relief Fund has been targeted on distributing funding in a way that is quickly, fair and clear,” stated HHS Secretary Alex Azar. “Extending the deadline for Medicaid providers and providing selected Medicare providers a different shot at funding is a different case in point of our work with providers to make sure as numerous as feasible receive the help they need.”

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