Provider Relief Fund: Phase Two Distribution Portal is Now Open

UPDATE: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Provided the Following Information for Providers Regarding Phase Two of Disbursement of the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund.

President Trump is providing support to healthcare providers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 27, 2020, the President signed the bipartisan CARES Act that provides $100 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other healthcare providers on the front lines of the coronavirus response. This funding will be used to support healthcare-related expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19 and to ensure uninsured Americans can get testing and treatment for COVID-19.

In allocating the funds, the Administration is working to address both the economic harm across the entire healthcare system due to the stoppage of elective procedures, and addressing the economic impact on providers incurring additional expenses caring for COVID-19 patients, and to do so as quickly and transparently as possible.

$50 billion general allocation

$50 billion of the Provider Relief Fund is allocated for general distribution to Medicare facilities and providers impacted by COVID-19, based on eligible providers' 2018 net patient revenue. The initial $30 billion was distributed between April 10 and April 17. 

On April 24, a portion of providers received a second payment derived from revenue data previously submitted in CMS cost reports. This payment, together with the initial payment received earlier in April, will represent the total allocation from the $50 billion general distribution.

•  Providers without adequate cost report data on file will need to submit their revenue information to the General Distribution Portal  for additional general distribution funds.
  • Providers who receive their money automatically will still need to submit their revenue information so that it can be verified via the General Distribution Portal .
• Providers who receive funds from the general distribution have to sign an attestation confirming receipt of funds and agree to the terms and conditions of payment and confirm the CMS cost report. Click here to sign the attestation and accept the Terms and Conditions
• The Terms and Conditions also include other measures to help prevent fraud and misuse of the funds. All recipients will be required to submit documents sufficient to ensure that these funds were used for healthcare-related expenses or lost revenue attributable to coronavirus. There will be significant anti-fraud and auditing work done by HHS, including the work of the Office of the Inspector General.

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