Resources

Client Alerts, News Articles, Blog Posts, & Multimedia

Everything you need to know about BMD and the industry.

Important Updates, Deadlines, and Clarifications for the HHS Provider Relief Funds

Client Alert
May 22, 2020

HHS Provider Relief Fund Recap

On May 20, 2020, HHS made important updates and clarifications regarding the General Distribution payments to providers.  Between April 10, 2020 and April 24, 2020, HHS distributed an initial $30 billion to providers based on the provider’s 2019 Medicare fee-for-service receipts. These funds were distributed automatically and providers did not need to submit an application in order to receive these funds. The funds were originally touted as a “no strings attached” stimulus payment reserved for healthcare providers. But HHS issued a 10-page Terms and Conditions and required that providers sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions. For more information on eligibility and the Terms and Conditions, please click here.  

Providers had 30 days from the date of receipt to attest to receipt of these funds. HHS then extended this time frame an additional 45 days. Provider received the funds between April 10, 2020 and April 24, 2020. Thus, providers that received their funds on April 10, 2020 must attest by May 25, 2020. Providers that received their funds on April 24, 2020 must attest by June 8, 2020. However, that date is now June 3, 2020 as further explained below.  

HHS also allocated an additional $20 billion to be distributed as General Distribution payments as Round 2 payments.  Providers must apply for Round 2 payments, which will be distributed based on the provider’s entire net patient revenue and for purposes of offsetting the provider’s lost revenue due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Providers that received and attested to Round 1 payments are eligible to apply for Round 2 payments. Providers that desire to apply for Round 2 payments must submit tax information and financial data supporting lost revenue for March 2020 and April 2020. The deadline to submit this information and apply for Round 2 funds is June 3, 2020. Providers applying for Round 2 funds must agree to an 11-page Terms and Conditions that is very similar to the Terms and Conditions for Round 1 payments.

Here are some key takeaways as we near the deadlines:

  1. Providers should immediately attest to Round 1 or refund the monies.
  2. Providers should review lost revenue calculations (from March 2020 and April 2020 as well as projected ongoing lost revenue) to evaluate whether to apply for Round 2.
  3. Providers should work with their accountant to apply for Round 2 funds by submitting the required tax forms and financial statements.
  4. Providers should maintain COVID-related expenses and updated lost revenue calculations in accordance with their HHS Fund Policy. Lost revenue calculations and financial information should be updated monthly.  

Is there a repayment obligation?

No. These funds are federal grants that do not need to be repaid. However, these federal grants are governed by federal regulations and must be used in accordance with their intended purpose, as outlined in the Terms and Conditions. Pursuant to 45 CFR §75.302, all healthcare providers that received payments from HHS under the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund must have a policy that outlines proper use of the funds and accounting. 

Should I attest to Round 1? If I do not fill out the attestation and do not return the funds, aren’t I “deemed” to have attested?

We recommend that providers affirmatively attest and not be “deemed” to attest. First, providers must confirm the amount received through the attestation portal. This will proactively notify HHS the amount the provider received. If the provider received more than intended, HHS will likely take action earlier to work with the provider in refunding any excess. Second, providers may not apply for Round 2 funds until the provider affirmatively attests to the Round 1 distributions.  

I underwent a change of ownership in 2019.  Am I eligible to attest to Round 1?

If you underwent a change of ownership, purchase, sale, merger, or other change in ownership or information, you may not be eligible to attest to the funds. HHS issued new FAQs regarding these specific factual scenarios. As these are fact-intensive determinations; we recommend scheduling a consultation. 

What if I already attested to Round 1 (initial $30 billion of Provider Relief Funds)? Must I submit additional financial information?

Despite some misleading statements on the HHS website, we confirmed with the Provider Relief Hotline that there is no obligation to submit tax documents or financial statements evidencing lost revenue if the provider is only attesting to receipt of the Round 1 funds and does not desire to apply for additional funding. 

Should I apply for Round 2 funds?

You should only apply for Round 2 funds if your overall lost revenues and COVID-related increased expense exceed the amount of funding you received in Round 1. To apply for Round 2 payments, you will need the following information:

  • TIN (that received Round 1 funds and submitted an attestation)
  • TINs of any subsidiary organizations (that do not file separate tax returns)
  • Estimate of lost revenue for March 2020 and April 2020 (using a reasonable accounting methodology)
  • Copy of most recent tax filing (2017, 2018, or 2019) 

Further, if your Round 1 payment was equal to or more than 2% of your 2018 patient revenue, you will not be eligible for additional funds.  

It is important to note that eligibility for Round 2 is determined by HHS based on the information submitted by the provider.  HHS will review the provider’s submission and make a final determination as to eligibility. Thus, if the Round 1 payment was not sufficient to cover lost revenue, the provider should apply for Round 2. 

If I receive HHS Provider Relief Funds, am I eligible for other loans, stimulus payments, grants, or similar programs?

Yes. The HHS Provider Relief Funds are part of a $100 billion fund established through the CARES Act that is specifically designed to provide reimbursement to healthcare providers for healthcare-related expenses and lost revenue attributable to COVID-19. The Terms and Conditions contemplate that the provider may also receive funding, loans, and payments from other sources such as the EIDL, PPP, and CMS Accelerated/Advance Payment Program. To be clear, a provider cannot use HHS Funds for expenses or lost revenue that is reimbursement or allocated to another funding source or loan program.

Is the information I submit public record?

HHS has posted a list of providers and the amount of Provider Relief Funds distributed to them; however, financial data will not be publicly available. 

For more information, please contact Amanda L. Waesch at alwaesch@bmdllc.com or 330-253-1985.

HHSProvider Relief FundProvidersMedicarestimulus paymentHealthcare ProvidersProvider Relief Fund Terms and ConditionsAmanda L. Waesch
Client Alert

New OSHA Guidance for Workplaces Not Covered by the Healthcare Emergency Temporary Standard

June 11, 2021On June 10, 2021, OSHA issued an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) for occupational exposure to COVID-19, but it applies only to healthcare and healthcare support service workers. For a detailed summary of the ETS applicable to the healthcare industry, please visit https://youtu.be/vPyXmKwOzsk. All employers not subject to the ETS should review OSHA’s contemporaneously released, updated Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace. The new Guidance essentially leaves intact OSHA’s earlier guidance, but only for unvaccinated and otherwise at-risk workers (“at-risk” meaning vaccinated or unvaccinated workers with immunocompromising conditions). For fully vaccinated workers, OSHA defers to CDC Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People, which advises that most fully vaccinated people can resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, or local laws or individual business policies.Client Alert

Employer Liability for COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects

June 9, 2021As employers encourage or require employees to obtain a COVID-19 vaccine, they should be aware of OSHA recording obligations and potential workers’ compensation liability. Though OSHA has yet to revise its COVID-19 guidance in response to the latest CDC recommendations, OSHA has revised its position regarding the recording of injury or illness resulting from the vaccine. Until now, OSHA required an employer to record an adverse reaction when the vaccine was required for employees and the injury or illness otherwise met the recording criteria (work-related, a new case, and meets one or more of the general recording criteria). OSHA has reversed course and announced that it will not require recording adverse reactions until at least May 2022, irrespective of whether the employer requires the vaccine as a condition of employment. In its revised COVID-19 FAQs, OSHA states:Client Alert

The New Rule 1.510 - Radical Change for Summary Judgement Procedure in Florida

June 8, 2021In civil litigation, where both sides participate actively, trial is usually required at the end of a long, expensive case to determine a winner and a loser. In federal and most state courts, however, there are a few procedural shortcuts by which parties can seek to prevail in advance of trial, saving time, money and annoyance. The most common of these is the “motion for summary judgment”: a request to the court by one side for judgment before trial, generally on the basis that the evidence available reflects that a win for that party is legally inevitable and thus required. Effective May 1, 2021, summary judgment procedure in Florida has radically changed.Client Alert

Vacating, Modifying or Correcting an Arbitration Award Under R.C. 2711.13: Three-Month Limitation Maximum; Not Guaranteed Amount of Time

June 8, 2021In a recent decision, the Supreme Court of Ohio held that neither R.C. 2711.09 nor R.C. 2711.13 requires a court to wait three months after an arbitration award is issued before confirming the award. R.C. 2711.13 provides that “after an award in an arbitration proceeding is made, any party to the arbitration may file a motion in the court of common pleas for an order vacating, modifying, or correcting the award.” Any such motion to vacate, modify, or correct an award “must be served upon the adverse party or his attorney within three months after the award is delivered to the parties in interest.” In BST Ohio Corporation et al. v. Wolgang, the Court held the three-month period set forth in R.C. 2711.13 is not a guaranteed time period in which to file a motion to vacate, modify, or correct an arbitration award. 2021-Ohio-1785.Client Alert

EEOC Provides Updated Guidance Regarding Employer COVID-19 Vaccine Policies

June 3, 2021On May 28, 2021, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its guidance regarding employer COVID-19 vaccination policies. The new guidance provides much-needed clarification of expectations for employers seeking to promote workplace safety and prevent the spread of COVID-19, including discussion of mandatory vaccination policies, voluntary vaccination incentives, and accommodation of employees based on disability or sincerely held religious beliefs. The full text of the update is found in Section K of the EEOC’s COVID Q&A document. You can also learn more about these and other developments from BMD's Bryan Meek and Monica Andress through the Employment Law After Hours YouTube channel, available here.
Older posts
Newer posts