|
On October 22nd,
the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced the latest Provider
Relief Fund (PRF) application period has been expanded to include provider
applicants such as residential treatment facilities, chiropractors, and eye
and vision providers that have not yet received Provider Relief Fund
distributions. On October 1, 2020, HHS announced it would be
making up to $20 billion in new Phase 3 General Distribution funding
available for providers on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. HHS
is also focused on ensuring the safe continuity of all types of health care
delivery despite this pandemic. As such, the Administration is committed to
providing relief resources in an equitable manner to assist the diverse
health care provider community regardless of whether they accept Medicare
or Medicaid payments. HHS is also announcing it will be updating its most
recent PRF reporting instructions to broaden use of provider relief funds.
"We have worked closely
with stakeholders across the healthcare system to ensure that the Provider
Relief Fund reaches all American healthcare providers that have been
impacted by the pandemic," said HHS Secretary Alex Azar. "Today,
we are expanding the pool of eligible providers to include a broader array
of practices, such as residential treatment facilities, chiropractors, and
vision care providers that may not have already received payments."
Under the Phase 3 General
Distribution, which began accepting applicants on October 5, 2020, HHS
invited providers that had already received PRF payments to apply for
additional funding that considers changes in patient care operating revenue
and expenses caused by the coronavirus. HHS also expanded the list of eligible
applicants to providers who had not previously received PRF payments,
including behavioral health providers known to the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and certain providers who
began practicing in 2020. Still, pandemic related needs across the entirety
of the provider community remains high. HHS has designed the PRF program to
be agile and responsive to the unique and dynamic challenges this virus
presents to the health care ecosystem. Important to this approach is maintaining
an open line of communication with providers and provider organizations,
members of Congress, and state and local officials. The PRF also released
an animated
video focused on eligibility and the ease of the application process
for its current Phase 3 General Distribution. As HHS receives input and feedback on
needs caused by the coronavirus pandemic, it has tried to respond.
Newly Eligible Phase 3
General Distribution Providers
HHS is expanding the pool of
eligible Phase 3 applicants to include providers across a broad category of
practices. Many providers who accept Medicare and Medicaid within these
categories have already received a PRF payment, but others have not and HHS
is working to ensure even more providers are able to receive Phase 3
funding. The list below includes eligible practices where providers may now
apply for Phase 3 funding regardless of whether they accept Medicaid or
Medicare.
- Behavioral Health Providers
- Allopathic & Osteopathic Physicians
- Dental Providers
- Assisted Living Facilities
- Chiropractors
- Nursing Service and Related Providers
- Hospice Providers
- Respiratory, Developmental, Rehabilitative and
Restorative Service Providers
- Emergency Medical Service Providers
- Hospital Units
- Residential Treatment Facilities
- Laboratories
- Ambulatory Health Care Facilities
- Eye and Vision Services Providers
- Physician Assistants & Advanced Practice Nursing
Providers
- Nursing & Custodial Care Facilities
- Podiatric Medicine & Surgery Service Providers
(For a detailed description
of all eligible Phase 3 General Distribution provider types, visit
the PRF website.)
These providers and all Phase
3 applicants will have until 11:59PM EST on November 6, 2020 to submit
their applications for payment consideration. Once validated, these
providers will receive a baseline payment of approximately 2% of annual
revenue from patient care plus an add-on payment that considers changes in
operating revenues and expenses from patient care, including expenses
incurred related to coronavirus. All payment recipients will be required to
attest to receiving the Phase 3 General Distribution payment and accept the
associated Terms and Conditions.
Reporting Requirements
Update
HHS is committed to
distributing PRF funds in a way that is fast, fair, simple and transparent.
In September, HHS published final reporting guidance to set expectations
for PRF payment recipients. In providing this guidance, HHS also updated
its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to clarify that for purposes of
relief payments for lost revenues attributable to COVID-19, recipients must
submit information showing a negative change in year-over-year net patient
care operating income. This definition sought to balance fairness and
establish guardrails to restrict some providers from receiving
distributions that would make them more profitable than they were before
the pandemic.
As providers, provider
organizations, and members of Congress familiarized themselves with the
reporting requirements, HHS received feedback from many voicing concerns
regarding this approach to permissible uses of PRF money. In response to
concerns raised, HHS is amending the reporting instructions to increase
flexibility around how providers can apply PRF money toward lost revenues
attributable to coronavirus. After reimbursing healthcare related expenses
attributable to coronavirus that were unreimbursed by other sources,
providers may use remaining PRF funds to cover any lost revenue, measured
as a negative change in year-over-year actual revenue from patient care
related sources.
A policy memorandum on the
reporting requirement decision can be found here - PDF*.
The amended reporting
requirements guidance can be found here - PDF.*
For updates and to learn more
about the Provider Relief Program, visit: hhs.gov/providerrelief.
###
|
No comments:
Post a Comment