The deadline to apply for the HFS CARES Funding is tomorrow Saturday October 31, 2020 at 12PM. The fund which is targeted to high volume Medicaid providers is intended to provide support as the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency continues. These funds may be utilized to offset costs from March 1 through December 30, 2020 as a result of COVID-19. It is important to note that all funds must be utilized by December 30, 2020.
Program details, FAQS as well as the portal to register can be found HFS’s website. Providers need to create an account on the portal to access the application to submit for funding. These applications are due by 12pm this Saturday October 31, 2020.
Details are outlined below for eligibility:
- Eligibility Criteria
- Hospitals
- Have not received 20% or more of either 2018 or 2019 net patient care revenue in other CARES Act or COVID-19 related funding, from Federal, State or other sources
- Specialty hospitals are not eligible
- Physicians
- Must currently receive payment directly from the Medicaid program
- HFS will determine the per physician number of Medicaid claims submitted and the Medicaid revenue received in calendar year 2019. Only those physicians and physician groups who meet or exceed certain benchmarks, as determined by HFS, of at least one of these measures are eligible for the HFS CARES Program.
- Priority will be given to high volume Medicaid providers. Providers who have not performed a significant amount of Medicaid services may not receive any CARES funds.
- Hospitals
- Eligible Expenses
- Must be pandemic related, directly associated with health care needs, and had not been part of annual budgets established before March 1, 2020
- Similar to CARES Act eligible expenses
- Acquisition and distribution of medical equipment and supplies, personnel protective equipment (PPE), or infection control supplies
- General COVID-19 testing, treatment, contact tracing, and isolation expenditures and general healthcare operational and infrastructure expenses
- Expansion of testing access in the community through the use of “pop-up test sites” with a focus on protecting vulnerable populations
- Expansion of capabilities related to case identification, timely reporting of case data, contact identification, disease transmission characterization, and tracking of relevant epidemiologic characteristics including hospitalization and death
- Expansion of infection control and contact tracing for high-risk populations
- Surveillance to monitor virologic and disease activity in long-term care facilities, group living facilities, businesses, healthcare workers, business, schools, colleges and universities, and other large community institutions
- Enhanced coordination of public health messaging and emergency public information with key partners and stakeholders
- Public education and information efforts
- Increased payroll
- Hazard pay
- Temporary staff contracts
- Telemedicine enhancements
- Telework enhancements
- Expanded clinic or patient capacity
- Sanitization and social distancing expenses
- Award Amounts
- Hospitals
- Based on HFS formula which will determine a max funding eligibility amount based on the calendar year 2019 Medicaid claims revenue of the expected applicant population.
- The max funding eligibility amount will be compared against economic hardship experienced and any additional COVID-19 funding received to determine a final award amount.
- Physicians
- Based on HFS formula which will determine a max funding eligibility based on the total number of Medicaid services provided in the 2019 calendar year and calendar year 2019 Medicaid claims revenue of the expected applicant population.
- The max funding eligibility amount will be compared against economic hardship experienced and any additional COVID-19 funding received to determine a final award amount.
- Hospitals
Advis is ready to assist your organization during the Public Health Emergency. For more information, please contact us online or by calling 708-478-7030.
Published: October 30, 2020