§1320b–26 Funding for providers relating to COVID–19

Summary

Provides $8,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2021 to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to pay eligible health care providers for COVID‑19-related expenses and lost revenue. The money comes from the Treasury and will stay available until spent. To get a payment, a provider must apply in the form the Secretary sets. The application must explain why the money is needed and show expenses and lost revenue tied to COVID‑19, give the provider’s tax ID, promise to keep records and send reports the Secretary requires, and include any other information the Secretary asks for. Payments may not cover costs already paid by someone else or that someone else must pay. The Secretary can set rules to run the program. Key terms: “eligible health care provider” means a rural provider or supplier enrolled in Medicare or in Medicaid/CHIP who provides diagnosis, testing, or care for possible or actual COVID‑19; “health care related expenses attributable to COVID‑19” means costs to prevent, prepare for, or respond to COVID‑19 (examples: temporary space, leasing, supplies and equipment like PPE and tests, staffing and training, emergency operations, retrofits, surge capacity, and other Secretary‑approved costs); “lost revenue attributable to COVID‑19” uses the HHS June 2020 FAQ definition (including difference between budgeted and actual revenue if the budget was set before March 27, 2020); “payment” can be pre‑payments, prospective or retrospective payments, grants, or similar methods; “rural provider or supplier” covers providers located in or serving rural areas, rural health clinics, certain home health/hospice/long‑term care in rural homes, or others the Secretary defines.