Two days before HHS was to stop accepting providers’ applications for a second, $15 billion round of CARES Act relief funding, the agency is announcing it will extend the deadline to Sept. 13.
To qualify, hospitals and other applying providers must meet five criteria:
- Applying for general distribution (as distinct from targeted);
- Not currently terminated from participation in Medicare or precluded from receiving payment through Medicare Advantage or Part D;
- Not currently excluded from participation in Medicare, Medicaid and other federal healthcare programs;
- Currently cleared for Medicare billing privileges; and
- Billing TIN (tax identification number) must be included in
- the state-provided list of eligible Medicaid and CHIP providers,
- the HHS-created list of dental providers,
- the list of providers who received a Phase 1—General Distribution payment, or
- the list of Medicare Part A providers that experienced a change in ownership in 2019 or 2020.
Applicants whose provider organizations don’t meet any of the TIN requirements must pass additional validation by HHS, the agency advises.
In a guidance section on patient protections, HHS says it’s “working to remove financial obstacles that might prevent people from getting the testing and treatment they need from COVID-19.”
That goes for patients who lack coverage too: “Every healthcare provider who has provided for COVID-related treatment of uninsured patients on or after February 4, 2020, may request claims reimbursement and will be reimbursed at Medicare rates, subject to available funding.”
HHS has posted a FAQs page with additional guidance.
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.