$20B in Grants to Eligible Healthcare Providers, including ASCs, Available Tomorrow

Updated: April 23, 2020

The US Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) will allocate an additional $20 billion in grants to Medicare providers, including ambulatory surgery centers, starting tomorrow, April 24. These grants are part of the $100 billion in relief funds included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 that was signed by President Donald Trump on March 27, 2020.

Fifty billion dollars of the Provider Relief Fund is being allocated for general distribution to Medicare facilities and providers impacted by COVID-19, based on eligible providers' 2018 net patient revenue. As you are aware, HHS started distributing an initial $30 billion on April 10. In the interest of getting funds to providers as quickly as possible, the $30 billion was distributed using a different formula based on information HHS already had—providers’ share of Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) reimbursements in 2019.

On April 24, providers that submit Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) cost reports will automatically be sent an advance payment based off the revenue data they submit. Providers without adequate cost report data on file will need to submit their revenue information to a portal opening this week linked on this page in order to obtain additional general distribution funds. Since ASCs do not submit cost data, facilities that wish to obtain additional grant money through this program will have to submit revenue information to the portal. Visit the Provider Relief Fund page to apply beginning tomorrow, April 24.

Payments will go out weekly, on a rolling basis, as information is validated.

ASCA will provide updates to members as we learn more.