HHS Delays Provider Relief Fund Reporting Deadline and Revises Reporting Requirements

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced that it is delaying the reporting deadline for the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) program. HHS had previously planned to open the portal for provider reporting by today, Jan. 15, with the first deadline for submissions on Feb. 15. Instead, starting today, PRF recipients may only register for access to the reporting portal. The date by which providers will be required to ultimately submit their information remains to be determined.

At the same time, HHS has issued revised reporting requirements in accordance with the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 (CRRSA). For example, the new requirements allow providers to calculate lost revenue using one of three methods:

• the difference between 2019 and 2020 actual patient care revenue;
• the difference between 2020 budgeted and 2020 actual patient care revenue, using a budget that was established and approved prior to March 27, 2020; or
• any other reasonable method, which providers must describe and justify its use.

n addition, the reporting requirements specify that subsidiaries’ parent organizations may transfer Targeted Distribution to another subsidiary. However, the original Targeted Distribution recipients are the entities that must report on the use of funds. HHS also states that transferred Targeted Distributions face an increased likelihood of audit.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, and CRRSA included $178 billion in the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund to reimburse health care providers for health care-related expenses or lost revenues not otherwise reimbursed that are attributable to COVID-19.

Further Questions
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