HHS Distributing $2 Billion More in Provider Relief Fund Payments to Health Care Providers Impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic

On January 25, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will be disbursing an additional $2 billion in Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 payments this week. Like the payments allocated in December, these payments will be based on lost revenues and increased expenses due to COVID-19 and will be made to physicians who previously applied for relief funds.

HHS will reimburse a larger share of losses and increased expenses for smaller providers, and a portion of the payments will be based on the amount and type of services provided to Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP patients. To mitigate disparities due to varying Medicaid reimbursement rates, HHS is using Medicare reimbursement rates in calculating these payments. Physician practices that receive more than $10,000 in payments will be required to report on their use of the funds.

More information on this additional disbursement is available here.