April 25, 2020: Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) opened its General Distribution Portal where providers who do not already submit cost reports to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) may file revenue information in order to receive additional funding from HHS’ $100 billion provider relief fund (the Relief Fund).
We previously provided information regarding the distribution of the initial $30 billion, as well as the next $20 billion from the Relief Fund in prior client updates: Delivery of Next Wave of HHS Provider Relief Authorized, Health Care Providers: What Can I Do With the Money I Just Received from HHS?, and CARES Act Provider Relief Fund.
HHS has now clarified that the Relief Fund is being administered by its Health Resources Service Administration (HRSA) section. As part of the distribution of the additional $70 billion, HRSA is asking providers who have already received payments from the initial distribution of $30 billion to supply information from IRS tax filings and to supply estimates of lost revenues in March and April of 2020 if they wish to be eligible to receive additional funds.
Before filing for additional funding, providers are asked to have on hand the following information:
- Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) that has received prior Relief Fund payments
- TINs of subsidiary organizations that have received prior Relief Fund payments but do not file separate tax forms (i.e., subsidiary organizations that are accounted for in the parent organization’s tax filing)
- Amount of Relief Fund payments received
- Relief Fund payment transaction numbers/check numbers
- A copy of the provider’s most recently filed tax forms
We strongly encourage providers to access the HHS User Guide as soon as possible, which walks providers through the process of requesting or confirming additional Relief Fund payments.
It is unclear at this time, but we are concerned that this may be a “first to file scenario.” Therefore, we encourage providers to file for additional funding from the Relief Fund as soon as possible.
