Practice Management

HHS has updated the CARES Provider Relief page with how they are going to divvy up the next Tranche: https://www.hhs.gov/provider-relief/index.html.

Barbara F. Rubel MBA, FRBMA

Senior VP, Marketing & Client Services

President, FRBMA

brubel@msnllc.com

904-657-2038 (Office) | 770-823-3597 (Cell)
MSNLLC.com

It looks to me like HHS is confusing terminology in their notices. For example a "Provider" is defined at 42 CFR 400.202 and generally means a hospital, critical access hospital, skilled nursing facility, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facility (CORF), home health agency or hospice, that has in effect an agreement to participate in Medicare; or a clinic, rehabilitation agency, or public health agency that has in effect a similar agreement but only to furnish outpatient physical therapy or speech pathology services; or community mental health center that has in effect a similar agreement but only to furnish partial hospitalization services.

In addition billings, payments, fee-for-service reimbursements and revenues seem to be used interchangeably. 

I have heard from other groups the math doesn't seem to work out. Note the Attestation and Payment Confirmation in the portal gives HHS has the right to adjust payments received from an electronic funds transfer/ACH immediately and without notice and that its right to make adjustments is not subject to any limitations or time constraints except as required by law.

David,

It is unclear to me whether to use the most recent tax return or the 2018 tax return.  The website states that this distribution is based on 2018 Net Patient Revenue.... Yet the first round was based on 2019 Medicare Fee for Service Revenue... not sure if they are doing the calcs behind the scenes and we do, as you suggest just send 2019 tax return, or if this round is based on 2018 and we should send the 2018 return.  I am not sure we were right, but we submitted the 2018 return for this second round. 

$50 billion general allocation

$50 billion of the Provider Relief Fund is allocated for general distribution to Medicare facilities and providers impacted by COVID-19, based on eligible providers' 2018 net patient revenue. The initial $30 billion was distributed between April 10 and April 17, and the remaining $20 billion is being distributed beginning Friday, April 24.

·         To expedite providers getting money as quickly as possible, $30 billion was distributed immediately, proportionate to providers' share of Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements in 2019. On Friday, April 10, $26 billion was delivered to bank accounts. The remaining $4 billion of the expedited $30 billion distribution was sent on April 17.

·         This simple formula used the data on-hand to get the money out the door as quickly as possible. The Administration was transparent and upfront additional funds would be going out quickly to help providers with a relatively small share of their revenue coming from Medicare fee-for-service, such as children's hospitals.

·         HHS will begin distribution of the remaining $20 billion of the general distribution to these providers on April 24 to augment their allocation so that the whole $50 billion general distribution is allocated proportional to providers' share of 2018 net patient revenue.

·         On April 24, a portion of providers will automatically be sent an advance payment based off the revenue data they submit in CMS cost reports. Providers without adequate cost report data on file will need to submit their revenue information to the General Distribution Portal  for additional general distribution funds.

Thanks,

Michael W. Langenberg, FRBMA

Executive Director for University Radiology

2240 Sutherland Ave Ste 107

Knoxville, TN  37919

(865) 803-2973 (Cell)

mlangenberg@utrad.com

www.utrad.com

This second round is for those practices that do not see any or many Medicare covered patients, thus trying to provide assistance based upon revenue loss, not losses based upon Medicare calculations/extrapolations. The reasoning behind asking for the 2018 tax return is that the 2018 return is known to be completed. The extension to file the 2019 tax return makes the certainty of the availability of that 2019 tax return questionable...... That's my insight for what its worth.....

David,

It is unclear to me whether to use the most recent tax return or the 2018 tax return.  The website states that this distribution is based on 2018 Net Patient Revenue.... Yet the first round was based on 2019 Medicare Fee for Service Revenue... not sure if they are doing the calcs behind the scenes and we do, as you suggest just send 2019 tax return, or if this round is based on 2018 and we should send the 2018 return.  I am not sure we were right, but we submitted the 2018 return for this second round. 

$50 billion general allocation

$50 billion of the Provider Relief Fund is allocated for general distribution to Medicare facilities and providers impacted by COVID-19, based on eligible providers' 2018 net patient revenue. The initial $30 billion was distributed between April 10 and April 17, and the remaining $20 billion is being distributed beginning Friday, April 24.

·         To expedite providers getting money as quickly as possible, $30 billion was distributed immediately, proportionate to providers' share of Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements in 2019. On Friday, April 10, $26 billion was delivered to bank accounts. The remaining $4 billion of the expedited $30 billion distribution was sent on April 17.

·         This simple formula used the data on-hand to get the money out the door as quickly as possible. The Administration was transparent and upfront additional funds would be going out quickly to help providers with a relatively small share of their revenue coming from Medicare fee-for-service, such as children's hospitals.

·         HHS will begin distribution of the remaining $20 billion of the general distribution to these providers on April 24 to augment their allocation so that the whole $50 billion general distribution is allocated proportional to providers' share of 2018 net patient revenue.

·         On April 24, a portion of providers will automatically be sent an advance payment based off the revenue data they submit in CMS cost reports. Providers without adequate cost report data on file will need to submit their revenue information to the General Distribution Portal  for additional general distribution funds.

Thanks,

Michael W. Langenberg, FRBMA

Executive Director for University Radiology

2240 Sutherland Ave Ste 107

Knoxville, TN  37919

(865) 803-2973 (Cell)

mlangenberg@utrad.com

www.utrad.com

David,

It is unclear to me whether to use the most recent tax return or the 2018 tax return.  The website states that this distribution is based on 2018 Net Patient Revenue.... Yet the first round was based on 2019 Medicare Fee for Service Revenue... not sure if they are doing the calcs behind the scenes and we do, as you suggest just send 2019 tax return, or if this round is based on 2018 and we should send the 2018 return.  I am not sure we were right, but we submitted the 2018 return for this second round. 

$50 billion general allocation

$50 billion of the Provider Relief Fund is allocated for general distribution to Medicare facilities and providers impacted by COVID-19, based on eligible providers' 2018 net patient revenue. The initial $30 billion was distributed between April 10 and April 17, and the remaining $20 billion is being distributed beginning Friday, April 24.

·         To expedite providers getting money as quickly as possible, $30 billion was distributed immediately, proportionate to providers' share of Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements in 2019. On Friday, April 10, $26 billion was delivered to bank accounts. The remaining $4 billion of the expedited $30 billion distribution was sent on April 17.

·         This simple formula used the data on-hand to get the money out the door as quickly as possible. The Administration was transparent and upfront additional funds would be going out quickly to help providers with a relatively small share of their revenue coming from Medicare fee-for-service, such as children's hospitals.

·         HHS will begin distribution of the remaining $20 billion of the general distribution to these providers on April 24 to augment their allocation so that the whole $50 billion general distribution is allocated proportional to providers' share of 2018 net patient revenue.

·         On April 24, a portion of providers will automatically be sent an advance payment based off the revenue data they submit in CMS cost reports. Providers without adequate cost report data on file will need to submit their revenue information to the General Distribution Portal  for additional general distribution funds.

Thanks,

Michael W. Langenberg, FRBMA

Executive Director for University Radiology

2240 Sutherland Ave Ste 107

Knoxville, TN  37919

(865) 803-2973 (Cell)

mlangenberg@utrad.com

www.utrad.com

David,

It is unclear to me whether to use the most recent tax return or the 2018 tax return.  The website states that this distribution is based on 2018 Net Patient Revenue.... Yet the first round was based on 2019 Medicare Fee for Service Revenue... not sure if they are doing the calcs behind the scenes and we do, as you suggest just send 2019 tax return, or if this round is based on 2018 and we should send the 2018 return.  I am not sure we were right, but we submitted the 2018 return for this second round. 

$50 billion general allocation

$50 billion of the Provider Relief Fund is allocated for general distribution to Medicare facilities and providers impacted by COVID-19, based on eligible providers' 2018 net patient revenue. The initial $30 billion was distributed between April 10 and April 17, and the remaining $20 billion is being distributed beginning Friday, April 24.

·         To expedite providers getting money as quickly as possible, $30 billion was distributed immediately, proportionate to providers' share of Medicare fee-for-service reimbursements in 2019. On Friday, April 10, $26 billion was delivered to bank accounts. The remaining $4 billion of the expedited $30 billion distribution was sent on April 17.

·         This simple formula used the data on-hand to get the money out the door as quickly as possible. The Administration was transparent and upfront additional funds would be going out quickly to help providers with a relatively small share of their revenue coming from Medicare fee-for-service, such as children's hospitals.

·         HHS will begin distribution of the remaining $20 billion of the general distribution to these providers on April 24 to augment their allocation so that the whole $50 billion general distribution is allocated proportional to providers' share of 2018 net patient revenue.

·         On April 24, a portion of providers will automatically be sent an advance payment based off the revenue data they submit in CMS cost reports. Providers without adequate cost report data on file will need to submit their revenue information to the General Distribution Portal  for additional general distribution funds.

Thanks,

Michael W. Langenberg, FRBMA

Executive Director for University Radiology

2240 Sutherland Ave Ste 107

Knoxville, TN  37919

(865) 803-2973 (Cell)

mlangenberg@utrad.com

www.utrad.com

No response, still waiting

After submitting required information, we received a confirmation from HRSA.gov that our document was completed and they expected the funds were going to be disbursed in 10 business days.  Since that was on 4/27 I am thinking it will be on or about 5/12.

Best Regards,

Lisa Salerno, Director of Finance

No response, still waiting

We received our second round of HHS Stimulus monies last Friday. We had applied the very first day the application became available.  The monies were deposited in our account without any notification.