The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced $25.5 billion in new funding for health care providers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. To read full article CLICK HERE https://www.hrsa.gov/provider-relief/future-payments. $8.5 billion in America Rescue Plan (ARP) resources for providers who serve RURAL Medicaid, Children’s Health insurance Program (CHIP) or Medicare patients. An additional $17 billion will be for Phase 4 General Distribution. We are going to focus on the Phase 4 General Distribution in this Blog but if you want to know more about the ARP Rural Health program CLICK HERE https://data.hrsa.gov/tools/rural-health?tab=Address
Below is what you need to know about Phase 4 General Distribution
- HHS will start accepting application for Phase 4 General Distribution on September 29, 2021. The application has not been released but when it is you will be able to apply for both Phase 4 General Distribution and ARP Rural payments in one single application. We highly recommend that you sign up for their email updates which should notify you when the application is released. If you have not already done so CLICK HERE https://cloud.connect.hhs.gov/subscriptioncenter
- Phase 4 General Distribution payments will be based on Providers’ lost revenue and expenditures between July 1, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
- There is currently no information out to determine the lost revenue test for Phase 4, but we believe to determine if you have lost revenue between July 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 you will compare your gross receipts/collections from July 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021 to your gross receipts/collections from July 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.
Also announced in order to promote transparency in the PRF program, HHS has released detailed information CLICK HERE https://www.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/hrsa/provider-relief/phase-3-methodology-overview.pdf regarding how Phase 3 payments were calculated. If you believe your Phase 3 payment was not calculated correctly you an opportunity to request a reconsideration. Further details about the process still needs to be released.
We are still working to try and understand the HHS reporting requirements. For most of our clients you will be required to start applying 1/1/2022. We will continue to release information on this process as we gain additional information. If you have not read our previous HHS Provider Relief Funds Reporting Blogs please CLICK HERE https://www.fluenceportland.com/consulting/hhs-provider-relief-funds-reporting-extensions-and-ppp-updates
Our Fluence team is committed to continue to provide you resources needed to help you through these uncertain times. Please let us know what we can do to help.