Reingruber Alert: Some Good News for CARES Act PRF Recipients
1/19/2021 - By Claudia Reingruber, CPA, CHC
HHS Announces Delay in Reporting Deadline for Provider Relief Funds (PRF):
- Reporting delay is due to provisions in the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) passed in late December 2020
- PRF reporting requirements will be updated to reflect the new law
The PRF Reporting Portal opened 01/15/2021 for registration only:
- PRF recipients of more than $10,000 can register here: https://prfreporting.hrsa.gov/s/
- $10,000 threshold excludes funds from Nursing Home Infection Control, RHC Testing, and payments for COVID-19 services to the uninsured
- The above link also contains a Registration User Guide, FAQs, and other info
- Currently, there is no deadline for registration or anticipated date when reporting will be accepted
Important Changes Due to the Enactment of CRRSA:
- Options for calculating “lost revenue” have been expanded
- Three options are now provided for calculating Lost Revenue:
- The difference between 2019 and 2020 actual patient care revenue,
- A comparison of 2020 budgeted revenues to 2020 actual patient care revenue, provided that the budget was prepared and approved prior to 03/27/2020; or
- A calculation based on "any reasonable method of estimating revenue”
- Recipients using an alternate reasonable method of estimating 2020 revenue must submit additional information, including:
- An explanation of why their method is reasonable; and
- Why the lost revenue was attributable to coronavirus.
- HHS cautions that “recipients seeking to use an alternate methodology face an increased likelihood of an audit by HRSA”
- The updated General and Targeted Distribution Post-Payment Notice of Reporting Requirements as of 01/15/2021 can be accessed here: www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/provider-post-payment-notice-of-reporting-requirements-january-2021.pdf
Medicare Providers, CMS Announces New Medicare Cost Report Extensions:
- Cost reporting periods ending in 2020 have an additional 60 days from the initial due date to file, due to the ongoing Public Health Emergency.
- For example:
Period Ending Original Due Date Extended Due Date
06/30/2020 11/30/2020 01/31/2021
09/30/2020 02/28/2021 04/30/2021
12/31/2020 05/31/2021 07/31/2021
Note: These are automatic extensions - no request needed.
The Healthcare Division at Saltmarsh can help:
- Assemble required info to register in the new PRF Reporting Portal
- Evaluate new options available for calculation of “Lost Revenues”
- Support the reasonableness of the method used to calculate lost revenues
- Ensure all COVID expenses are identified and properly determined
- Assess compliance with the Terms and Conditions for each PRF payment
- Prepare for potential audits of PRF fund use
- Keep current with ever-changing guidance regarding use of stimulus funds!
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