New funding available: Provider Relief Fund Phase 3 General Distribution
Additional Funding Released
Starting Oct. 5, you can apply to receive funds based on assessed revenue losses and expenses due to COVID-19. The opportunity to receive up to 2% of annual revenue from patient care remains active.
As released from HHS:
Healthcare providers, including your organization, may now apply for the recently announced Phase 3 General Distribution of the Provider Relief Fund (PRF). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), will be distributing up to $20 billion in Phase 3, as part of ongoing efforts to offer financial support to healthcare providers for expenses and lost revenues attributable to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
You may be eligible for additional funding from the Phase 3 General Distribution. Applications for Phase 3 opened on Oct. 5, 2020 and will close on Nov. 6, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Who is eligible?
You may be eligible regardless of whether you previously were eligible for, applied for, received, accepted, or rejected payment from prior PRF general distributions. You should apply for funding if you experienced expenses and/or lost revenues attributable to COVID-19 that have not been reimbursed by other sources.
What’s new in Phase 3?
Under this Phase 3 General Distribution allocation, providers, including those who have already received Provider Relief Fund payments, will be invited to apply for funding that considers financial losses and changes in operating expenses caused by COVID-19. Additionally, all provider submissions will be reviewed to confirm they have received a Provider Relief Fund payment equal to approximately 2 percent of patient care revenue from prior general distributions. Applicants that have not yet received Provider Relief Fund payments of 2 percent of patient revenue will receive a payment that, when combined with prior payments (if any), equals 2 percent of patient care revenue.
HHS encourages providers to submit their applications as soon as possible to expedite the review process and payment calculations, and ultimately accelerate the distribution of all payments. Visit hhs.gov/provider relief for updates about timing and deadlines.
Action required
Submit your application to the Provider Relief Fund Application and Attestation Portal between Oct. 5, 2020 and Nov. 6, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. ET to be considered for funding from the Phase 3 General Distribution.
The Portal will collect financial information including operating revenues and expenses from patient care. Please note that the Phase 3 application is slightly different from the Phase 2 form, requiring additional revenue and expense data entries in order to calculate payment based on assessed financial impact of COVID-19. Even if you previously submitted revenue information, you will need to submit a new application so HHS can collect all required fields. All payments will still be subject to the rules regarding permissible use of PRF payments.
The application instructions and sample application form are available at hhs.gov/provider relief. The website also includes a step-by-step application guide and FAQs. Download and review all of these documents to help you prepare for the process.
HHS will host a webcast on Oct. 15, 2020 at 3 p.m. ET for potential applicants to review the application process and have their questions answered. Please register now and check the PRF website for updated information.