Healthcare Providers: APPLY NOW to Receive Additional HHS COVID-19 Relief Funds

Wednesday, April 29, 2020 – On April 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a $20 billion second wave of funding for Medicare providers from the $100 billion CARES Act Provider Relief Fund. Unlike the first wave of funding (which was dispersed automatically), this second wave requires providers to apply. Funding to cover unreimbursed expenses or lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic will not need to be repaid.

While the initial $30 million in funding was distributed automatically to providers’ bank accounts (proportionate to the provider’s share of Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements in 2019), this second wave of funding (which is based on a percentage of each provider’s 2018 net patient revenue from all payers — not just Medicare fee-for-service payments) requires providers apply through the HHS General Distribution Portal. This General Distribution Portal collects information from providers who have already received General Distribution payments prior to April 24, 2020. Providers who have not received funding as of 5:00 pm EST Friday April 24th are NOT eligible to use the Provider Relief Fund Application Portal, HOWEVER, these providers may still be eligible for payments from the Provider Relief Fund through other mechanisms, including the Targeted Distributions being made from the Fund.

Additional information — including answers to frequently asked questions — can be found here.