August 11, 2020
Good afternoon,During a National Council Association Executives call this afternoon, we learned that for those NYS Council members who are heading to / back to the HHS Provider Relief Fund portal for the first time or as a follow up visit, please note that HHS recently updated the portal and also made the decision to combine the application process so that the portal is functioning as one portal for all funds AND previous eligibility restrictions and prohibitions regarding your eligibility for either Medicare OR Medicaid, no longer exist. As of 8/10 all providers are eligible so long as they billed Medicare or Medicaid in 2018 or 2019.
The intent of Congress in appropriating these funds was and still is to get all healthcare providers a total of 2% of their gross revenues from all payers. HHS is committed to ensuring this occurs. So, if you have not received 2% of your total patient revenues to date, PLEASE APPLY.
Reasons why a provider might need to go back to the portal include:
- As of 8/10 you had not received a total of 2% of your gross revenues from all payers through the HHS Provider Relief Funding initiative
- You received a check for your Medicare claims volume but did not go back to the portal to attest to this payment by 6/3
- There was a transfer of ownership of your organization in 2019 that would have prevented you from being eligible for funds
- You received a Phase 1 Medicare payment but returned the funds in hopes of applying for Medicaid funds
Notes:
- Please see the attached slides that provide important information for those who are planning to go into/back into the portal for any reason.
- Entities that received very small payments as part of Phase One of the General Distribution but did not provide revenue information in order to receive additional funds are now eligible to apply for additional funds through this updated process.
- You must initiate a payment (you need to get to the part of the application where you are asked to supply your TIN #) by August 28 to be considered for a payment/additional payment.
- According to HHS, if you have applied for funds and your TIN# is ‘under review’, you do not need to re-apply. You will receive further info when your TIN# is approved.
- Deadline to apply for provider Relief Funds is August 28 at 11:59 p.m.
- Payments are being made on a rolling basis.
As always if you have questions or concerns call me at your convenience at 518 461-8200.