On Nov. 18, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updated its FAQs for the Provider Relief Fund and clarified two key points related to reporting requirements:
- Expenses for capital equipment, inventory, and facilities projects may be fully expensed only in cases where the purchase was directly related to preventing, preparing for, and responding to the coronavirus. Examples of these types of equipment and inventory expenses include:
- Disinfectant supplies
- General personal protective equipment
- Biohazard suits
- Masks, face shields, gloves, and gowns
- Ventilators, computerized tomography scanners, and other intensive care unit (ICU)-related equipment put into immediate use or held in inventory
Examples of these types of capital facilities projects include:
- Upgrading a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system to support negative pressure units
- Retrofitting a COVID-19 unit
- Enhancing or reconfiguring ICU capabilities
- Leasing or purchasing a temporary structure to screen and/or treat patients
- Leasing a permanent facility to increase hospital or nursing home capacity
2. Providers should not include payments received from or made to third parties related to care provided outside the reporting period (2019-20) when reporting net patient revenue.
While CHA is encouraged to see these latest clarifications related to the provider relief fund reporting, CHA continues to urge Congress and HHS to reinstate the original June reporting requirements.