HHS Updates Guidance on Provider Relief Fund and Attestation Requirements

Latest update is part of multiple new and modified FAQs that HHS has released in the past week.

• By David Kopf
• May 21, 2020

Eligible providers have until June 3 to accept the Terms and Conditions and submit their revenue information to receive an additional payment from the Provider Relief Fund’s $50 billion General Distribution. According to new guidance from HHS.

All providers who automatically received an additional General Distribution payment before 5 p.m. on April 24 must provide HHS with an accounting of their annual revenues by submitting tax forms or financial statements. They must also agree to the program Terms and Conditions if they wish to keep the funds.

HHS noted that submitting tax forms or financial statements to the portal also serves as an application for additional funding for those providers that have not already received an additional General Distribution payment. Providers that don’t submit their revenue information by June 3 won’t be eligible to receive additional funding from the $50 billion General Distribution.

The American Association for Homecare noted in a public statement that HHS has added 17 new FAQs and modified three others since May 14. 

“These numerous additions/changes underscore the need to regularly check these pages for updates,” the AAHomecare statement read.

New guidance on HHS’s FAQ includes:

• How can I return a payment I received under the Provider Relief Fund? (Page 2-3.)
• How did HHS determine the additional payments under the General Distribution? (Page 7.)
• How can I estimate 2 percent of patient revenue to determine my approximate General Distribution payment? (Page 7.) AAHomecare note that developed a calculator spreadsheet to help providers determine their total share of the provider relief.
• I am a healthcare provider that received a previous General Distribution payment, and I submitted my revenue information through DocuSign. Why am I not receiving an additional payment? (Page 7.)
• I submitted my financial information on the Provider Relief Fund Payment Portal. Why have I not received funds yet? (Page 7-8.)
• What should a provider do if a General Distribution payment is greater than expected or received in error? (Page 8.)
• How can I estimate the total payment amount I can anticipate through the General Distribution? (Page 16.)

Providers can call for additional information at (866) 569-3522.