The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has extended the deadline for physicians to apply for the Provider Relief Fund for both Medicare and Medicaid providers.

The targeted distribution for Medicaid providers is now accepting applications through August 28, 2020. HHS also said that Medicare providers who missed the deadline to apply for additional funding from the second $20 billion tranche of the $50 billion general distribution will have a second chance to apply for provider relief beginning August 10, 2020.

It is important to note that physicians who received payments from the first two rounds of the $50 billion general distribution are NOT eligible to also receive payments from the Medicaid targeted distribution. The maximum amount of funding that any physician can receive from either the first two rounds of general distribution funding or the Medicaid targeted distribution is 2% of their gross patient revenue from the prior year from all payors.

HHS also announced a new accommodation for physician practices experienced a change in ownership in 2020 and they may reapply by August 28. Some such providers may have missed out on payments as the payments were distributed to the previous owners. Prior owners are required to return the payments to HHS, if they cannot attest to providing diagnoses, testing or care for individuals with possible or actual cases of COVID-19 on or after January 31, 2020. For program integrity considerations, previous owners are not allowed to transfer funds to new owners, even if they may qualify and can attest to providing care for possible or actual COVID 19 cases. In such cases, the new practice owners can beginning August 10 apply for a share of the $50 billion general distribution.

HHS has also said that it plans to simplify the application process.

For updated information and data on the Provider Relief Fund, visit hhs.gov/providerrelief.