CARES Act Provider Relief Fund for Medicaid Providers
While Medicare providers received automatic payments from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, those practices who see Medicaid patients, but not Medicare were not included. The portal for requesting funds from the next round of the Provider Relief fund is now open for Medicaid providers. Below is some information that will help you in the process of requesting funds as well as some FAQs to clarify some of the common questions providers have.
CARES Act Provider Relief Fund: General Information
FAQs
What is available to Medicaid Providers?
The payment to each provider will be at least 2 percent of reported gross revenue from patient care; the final amount each provider receives will be determined after the data is submitted, including information about the number of Medicaid patients providers serve. Those providers who already received distributions based on their Medicare fee for service patients will not be included in this distribution.
What if I didn’t treat any COVID-19 patients?
Many providers have expressed reluctance to apply for Provider Relief Funds because they did not diagnose and/or treat patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19. The definition used by HHS of “individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19 is very broad and HHS views every patient as a possible case of COVID-19. (See CARES Act Provider Relief Fund FAQ)
What can I use the Provider Relief Funds for?
Provider Relief Fund payments may be used for healthcare-related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus. The term “lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus” means any revenue that you as a healthcare provider lost due to coronavirus. This may include revenue losses associated with fewer outpatient visits, canceled elective procedures or services, or increased uncompensated care. Providers can use Provider Relief Fund payments to cover any cost that the lost revenue otherwise would have covered, so long as that cost prevents, prepares for, or responds to coronavirus. Thus, these costs do not need to be specific to providing care for possible or actual coronavirus patients, but the lost revenue that the Provider Relief Fund payment covers must have been lost due to coronavirus. HHS encourages the use of funds to cover lost revenue so that providers can respond to the coronavirus public health emergency by maintaining healthcare delivery capacity.
Permissible expenses for Provider Relief Funds include:
Supplies used to provide healthcare services
Equipment used to provide healthcare services
Employee or contractor payroll
Employee health insurance
Rent or mortgage payments
Equipment lease payments
Electronic health record licensing fees
This is just a partial list. For a full list of permissible expenditures, see the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund FAQ.
What You Need to Apply
1. Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) – This should be the organization TIN (“Filing TIN”) you will use in applying for relief funds.
2. Revenue and Tax information – You will need to provide specific revenue and tax information through the portal once TIN Validation is complete. A copy of the Form 1020 from your most recent tax return will need to be uploaded as confirmation.
3. Estimated amount of revenue lost as a direct result of COVID-19 – You will need to provide an estimate of how much revenue your practice lost due to COVID-19. This can include revenue lost due to reduced patient visits due to stay at home orders. Do not include revenue for COVID-19 treatment to uninsured patients for which you intend to submit claims to the uninsured care portal.
4. Receive and Attest to Payment – Within 90 days of receiving this payment, you must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of payment. Should you choose to reject the funds, you must also complete the attestation to indicate this. The CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Payment Attestation Portal will guide you through the attestation process to accept or reject the funds. Not returning the payment within 90 days of receipt will be viewed as acceptance of the Terms and Conditions.
If you need assistance in applying for these funds, please don’t hesitate to contact us at Ease RCM Solutions. You can email us at [email protected].