The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), has announced a new application cycle for $25.5 billion in COVID-19 provider funding. Applicants will be able to apply for both Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 and American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural payments during the application process. PRF Phase 4 is open to a broad range of providers with changes in operating revenues and expenses. ARP Rural is open to providers who serve rural patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).
What Is the Provider Relief Fund?
Qualified providers of health care, services, and support may receive Provider Relief Fund payments for healthcare-related expenses or lost revenues due to coronavirus. These distributions do not need to be repaid to the US government, assuming providers comply with the terms and conditions.
What Is ARP Rural?
ARP Rural is intended to help address the disproportionate impact that COVID-19 has had on rural communities and rural health care providers; funding will be available to providers who serve patients in these communities. Eligible applicants can apply for the ARP Rural funds through the same Application and Attestation Portal that is available to apply for the Phase 4 General Distribution. Providers will apply for both programs in a single application.
In order to be considered for an ARP Rural payment, applicants must include any billing Tax Identification (TIN) owned by the applicant. ARP Rural payments will be determined based on the amount and type of Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP services provided by billing TINs to rural beneficiaries. Applicants do not need to verify whether their beneficiaries live in an area that meets the definition of rural. HRSA will base payments on data already available to it using the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy definition of rural.
Please remember you have to APPLY for this funding. It will not be automatically allocated as with past phase funding. In order to streamline the application process and minimize administrative burdens, providers will apply for both programs in a single application.
The application is open now and will close on October 26, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Providers who have previously created an account in the Provider Relief Fund Application and Attestation Portal and have not logged in for more than 90 days will need to first reset their password before starting a new application.
Real time technical assistance is available by calling the Provider Support Line at (866) 569-3522, for TTY dial 711. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday.
Please go to the following HRSA web site to find out more information and access resources for your application:
https://www.hrsa.gov/provider-relief/future-payments
Alabama Rural Health Association 