by Jennifer Mistretta 

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With the additional funding resources made available to healthcare providers in the United States through the CARES Act, management and financial officers within these entities are being tasked with providing updates to the federal government. Many of these updates, including certifications, are being accomplished through portals set up by federal agencies. In order to assist providers in locating important information quickly, P&N has compiled the following list of current portals available:

• General Distribution Portal – The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is allocating “general distribution” funds from the Provider Relief Fund to providers for lost revenues and increased expenses due to the coronavirus pandemic. These funds are being allocated proportional to providers’ share of net patient revenue. Medicare providers for whom HHS did not have adequate cost report data on file must submit their revenue information to the General Distribution Portal to be able to receive additional general distribution funds and agree to the Terms and Conditions for this additional general distribution. Providers who received their additional money automatically must also submit their revenue information so that it can be verified via the portal. HHS has also set up additional resources related to this portal:
  • FAQs for the General Distribution Portal, which includes information on how to estimate lost revenue, an overview of the application process, and much more.
  • A User Guide to walk through the process of requesting or confirming additional funds, including screenshots from the portal, and information on what data to have on-hand before beginning the process.
• CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Payment Attestation Portal – Providers who have been allocated a payment through the CARES Act must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agree to the terms and conditions within 45 days of payment. Should a provider choose to reject the funds, the provider must also complete steps within this attestation portal. This portal will guide providers through the attestation process to accept or reject funds.
• COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal – This portal allows healthcare providers who have conducted COVID-19 testing or provided treatment for uninsured COVID-19 individuals on or after February 4, 2020 to request claims reimbursement. Providers can access the portal to register for the program through this Health Resources & Services Administration portal. Providers are also encouraged to review the Terms and Conditions for these funds prior to application for and receipt of funds.

General information on the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund and other information for providers can be found on the HHS website. More recent updates from HHS include information and state-by-state breakdowns related to:

• COVID-19 high-impact distribution list &
  • Terms & conditions related to high impact relief fund payments
• Distribution list for hospitals treating low-income and uninsured patients
• Rural provider distribution list &
  • Terms & conditions related to rural provider relief fund payments

While you focus on continuing to provide patient care, P&N’s experienced team of health care business advisors can help your organization navigate funding opportunities and maintain compliance. Contact us today to discuss how we can help.