August 19, 2020
Good evening,
I wanted to check in with all NYS Council members in advance of the upcoming August 28 deadline for all eligible healthcare providers to make an application to receive (federal) Provider Relief Funds (PRF).
As we told you last week, HHS recently combined the two main Provider Relief Programs. These are:
- Funds appropriated for Medicaid/CHIP/Safety Net Hospitals providers who did not receive a payment based on Medicare claims volume (including those who bill MMC)
- Funds for providers who billed Medicare in 2018, 2019 and who may have received one check (to date) from HHS General Distribution based on your Medicare claims volume for the most recent year in which you filed a 990 with the IRS
HHS continues to spread the word that the intent is to get ALL eligible healthcare providers a total of 2% of gross receipts from patient care regardless of payor, for the most recent year in which you filed a 990.
If there is one thing I have learned throughout this process, it is that the situation with the Provider Relief Funds is fluid. As such, I try to stay in regular touch with our colleagues at the National Council. Earlier today I checked in with Stephanie Katz at the national Council just to check in with them regarding the latest advice they have for providers. The National Council is advising that if you are a provider who received an initial check from HHS for a portion of your Medicare claims volume but (as of today) you have not yet received a total of 2% of your gross receipts from patient care regardless of payer, you should go to the updated portal and re-apply for PRF. In addition, you should not assume that if your application has been ‘pended’ or something similar, you are all set. The National Council is advising that you re-apply.
Here’s a link to the portal: https://cares.linkhealth.com/#/
As always, if you have questions send me a note or call me at your convenience.