Eligible assisted living operators and other eligible providers now have until Sept. 13 to apply for the phase 2 general distribution of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Provider Relief Fund. That is the deadline to complete the first step of the application process, the tax identification number, or TIN, validation process
The original deadline had been July 20, then was changed to Aug. 3 and then Aug. 28.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced June 9 that approximately $15 billion in grants would be distributed to Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program providers who are experiencing lost revenues or increased expenses due to COVID-19.
“The first general distribution of the Provider Relief Fund, $50 billion back in April, made payments to over 1 million providers. Approximately 450,000 of these providers care for Medicaid and CHIP recipients,” Eric D. Hargan, deputy HHS secretary, said at the time. The new funds, he said, would be available to the remaining 275,000 providers that care for Medicaid and CHIP recipients but did not receive funds in the general distribution. “These Medicaid and CHIP providers typically operate on thin margins and often include practitioners like dentists, pediatricians, assisted living facilities, and behavioral health providers like opioid treatment programs,” Hargan said.
HHS later said that even providers that received a phase 1 payment could submit applications under phase 2 if they have not yet received a payment that is approximately 2% of annual revenue from patient care for their TIN as reported on their most recent Form 990.
Also eligible for phase 2 now are Medicare providers who missed the June 3 deadline to submit their financial information to HHS and didn’t receive a second payment under phase 1, and Medicare Part A providers who had a change in ownership in 2019-2020 and have not yet received a Provider Relief Fund payment.
More information about eligibility and the application process is available on the HHS website.
