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What should providers know about next wave of CARES Act relief?

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will begin accepting applications for Relief through this package October 5th. The agency has stated the goal is to help cover approximately 2% of patient revenue lost as a result of the pandemic.

The HHS is encouraging providers to file for relief early, so it can begin reviewing payment calculations and “ultimately accelerate the distribution” of payments.

 

  1. New providers can qualify. In this round, those who began their practices January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020 can apply for Provider Relief Fund Payments. This includes medical professionals who specialize in behavioral health as well as assisted living facilities, nursing homes and dentists in addition to those who can make claims through Medicare and Medicaid.
  2. Those who already received funds can get another payment. The agency also notes that providers who previous accepted a General Distribution Provider Relief Fund Payment can get another round of relief through this latest package. The option is also open for those who previously rejected payment.

Those in favor of this additional round of relief state the combined toll of lost revenue with additional expenses due to a significant increase in the need for personal protective equipment (PPE), testing needs and support staff to meet resident and patient needs have had a profound negative impact on the health care industry. This form of relief will, hopefully, help health care providers make ends meet and continue to provide quality care to patients at a time when they need it most.