As mentioned in our communication earlier this week, the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund has begun its disbursement to providers.
All recipients who intend to keep the funds are required to complete the attestation.
HERE is a link to the attestation portal. You must do this if you keep the funds.
HERE is a link to the SDW survey letting us know to adjust your policies in compliance. You must complete this for us to keep your billing practices in compliance.
HERE is a link to the HHS page with more information about this program.
Our earlier communication is listed below, for your reference.
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As some of you may be aware, the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund allows for the immediate delivery of $30 billion into the healthcare system. This letter summarizes important pieces of information for your understanding and your requirement by accepting the funds.
Distribution of these funds will begin as early as April 10, 2020 via direct deposit. These are payments, not loans, to healthcare providers, and will not need to be repaid.
All providers: Click HERE to fill out this brief survey
Providers will be distributed a portion of the initial $30 billion based on their share of total Medicare FFS reimbursements in 2019. Total FFS payments were approximately $484 billion in 2019.
Providers will be paid via Automated Clearing House account information on file with UHG or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
- The automatic payments will come to providers via Optum Bank with “HHSPAYMENT” as the payment description.
- No notification will be sent to Systems Design.
- Providers who normally receive a paper check for reimbursement from CMS, will receive a paper check in the mail for this payment as well, within the next few weeks.
Within 30 days of receiving the payment, providers must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the terms and conditions of payment. The portal for signing the attestation will be open the week of April 13, 2020 and will be linked on the attachment.
As a condition to receiving these funds, providers must agree not to seek collection of out-of-pocket payments from a COVID-19 patient that are greater than what the patient would have otherwise been required to pay if the care had been provided by an in-network provider. If a provider receives payment and does not wish to comply with these Terms and Conditions, the provider must do the following: contact HHS within 30 days of receipt of payment and then remit the full payment to HHS as instructed. Appropriate contact information will be provided soon.
For more information on the CARES Act click here.
For questions about this communication or the survey, please call Systems Design West at 1-800-585-5242 or email admin@sdwems.com.