VGMHealthcare MSO

April 16 UPDATE: The CARES Act Provider Relief Fund

Published in Member Communities on April 16, 2020

As most DMEPOS suppliers are likely aware, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continues its distribution of $30 billion in funds from the $100 billion Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act.

Commencing April 10, all health facilities that billed Medicare in 2019 will receive a grant from the Fund. Each TIN will receive approximately 6.2% of its 2019 Medicare fee-for-service payments (not including Medicare Advantage). For example, a provider or supplier that received $1 million in Medicare payments in 2019 will receive a relief payment of approximately $62,000. Many have received their payments, for those who have questions about their payments, please call 877-842-3210 and choose option 7. You will be asked to provide your Tax ID number, and a United Healthcare representative will be able to check on the status of your payment.

This payment will not need to be repaid. Payments will be made automatically, without the need to file an application. Many provider/suppliers accounts have been paid. The exception: Those without Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit capabilities. These entities will receive paper checks by mail in the next few weeks.

HHS partnered with UnitedHealth Group (UHG) to make payments via Automated Clearing House account information on file with UHG or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The automatic payments will come from Optum Bank with "HHSPAYMENT" as the payment description.

Within 30 days of receipt, a provider must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to specific terms and conditions. A portal for signing is now active. Please read – in its entirety – this page https://www.hhs.gov/provider-relief/index.html, which offers important information and directs users to the actual portal URL https://covid19.linkhealth.com/#/step/1.

Providers do not need to sign the agreement before payments are made.

Please CLICK HERE for the full article.

From Our Experts

Prior Authorization Reminders for Complex Rehab Providers thumbnail Prior Authorization Reminders for Complex Rehab Providers VGM expert Dan Fedor explains prior authorization exemptions, common documentation and coding errors, K5 wheelchair requirements, and claim-level denials. Why Unique User Logins Are Essential in E-Prescribing thumbnail Why Unique User Logins Are Essential in E-Prescribing Discover how unique logins in e-prescribing support HIPAA compliance, enhance accountability, and safeguard patient information. One VGM. Healthcare connected. thumbnail One VGM. Healthcare connected. VGM's unified brand makes it easier to access healthcare expertise, relationships, resources, & solutions that strengthen business performance & patient care. Keeping You at the Center in a Complex and Artificial World thumbnail Keeping You at the Center in a Complex and Artificial World VGM President Lindy Tentinger shares how keeping people at the center is guiding VGM's evolution, strengthening connections, and simplifying the customer experience. 2026 National Health Expenditure Data Update thumbnail 2026 National Health Expenditure Data Update The 2026 National Health Expenditure Data Update examines how DME spending growth aligns with the shift toward home-based care and value-based healthcare. Digging into Denials: Stop Fixing Denials and Start Preventing Them thumbnail Digging into Denials: Stop Fixing Denials and Start Preventing Them Learn how HME providers can reduce recurring denials by identifying workflow, payer, authorization, and documentation issues before they impact reimbursement. Telling the Patient's Story Through NIV Documentation thumbnail Telling the Patient's Story Through NIV Documentation Under CMS's new policy, NIV documentation requires more than a diagnosis. Learn key strategies for medical necessity, compliance, and reimbursement. Telling the Patient's Story Through NIV Documentation thumbnail Telling the Patient's Story Through NIV Documentation Under CMS's new policy, NIV documentation requires more than a diagnosis. Learn key strategies for medical necessity, compliance, and reimbursement.