House members urge HHS to allow extend deadline for using provider relief funds, disburse remaining payments promptly
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Seventy-nine representatives yesterday urged Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to take a number of actions related to the COVID-19 Provider Relief Fund. Among other things, the letter urges HHS to:
- Extend the deadline for hospitals and other health care providers to use their PRF money from June 30, 2021, to June 30, 2022.
- Distribute the remaining PRF money as soon as possible to get that assistance to providers as they continue to battle COVID-19.
Reps. Cindy Axne, D-Iowa, and Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, spearheaded the letter.
“The Provider Relief Fund (PRF) has been a life-line to hospitals, health systems and caregivers across the country, helping to keep our doors open during the pandemic in order to continue providing essential care to patients and communities,” said AHA Executive Vice President Stacey Hughes. “The AHA thanks Representatives Axne and Miller-Meeks for leading this important bipartisan effort to extend the deadline for hospitals and other health care providers to use this funding and to distribute the remaining funds as soon as possible. These actions will help ensure we can continue to battle COVID-19 and save lives.”
The AHA last week urged HHS to extend the deadline for hospitals and other health care providers to use their COVID-19 PRF payments until the end of the public health emergency