Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Period 4 Reporting Deadline is Quickly Approaching

According to the table below, recipients of Provider Relief Fund (PRF) and/or American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural payments exceeding $10,000 in the aggregate between July 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, are required to report for Period 4. The deadline to report is by Friday, March 31, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. eastern time. Recipients who fail to report by the deadline are considered out of compliance with the Terms and Conditions and may result in an action initiated by the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) for repayment.

Data has to be reported in the PRF Reporting portal in the following order, as applicable:

1. Interest earned.

2. Other assistance received.

3. Use of ARP Rural payment for eligible expenses.

4. Use of ARP Rural payment for lost revenues.

5. Use of PRF payment for eligible expenses.

6. Use of PRF payment for lost revenues.

PRF and ARP Rural recipients must use payments for eligible expenses and lost revenues during the period of availability, as outlined in the table above and discussed below. The payments used for eligible expenses must have been incurred to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. The opportunity to apply payments to lost revenues is available until the conclusion of the quarter in which the Public Health Emergency expires. If a provider received both PRF and ARP Rural payments, the provider should apply their ARP Rural payment towards eligible expenses and lost revenues before using the PRF payment to cover eligible expenses and lost revenues.

Eligible Expenses

Recipients of $499,999 or less in PRF and ARP Rural payments during Period 4, will report eligible expenses in two expense categories: (1) General and Administrative Expenses, and (2) Healthcare-Related Expenses.

Recipients of $500,000 or more in PRF and ARP Rural payments during Period 4, will report eligible expenses in the two expense categories noted above: (1) General and Administrative Expenses, and (2) Healthcare-Related Expenses, but will also have to report the eligible expenses in greater detail according to the sub-categories listed in the tables below.

Lost Revenues

Recipients may choose to apply PRF and/or ARP Rural payments towards lost revenues using one of the following three options:

Option 1:
Difference between actual patient care revenues.

Option 2:
Difference between budgeted and actual patient care revenues.

Option 3:
Calculated by any reasonable method of estimating revenues.

In addition, lost revenues will be reported in the following categories:

(1) Medicare Part A or B

(2) Medicare Part C (Medicare Advantage)

(3) Medicaid/Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

(4) Commercial Insurance

(5) Self-Pay (No Insurance)

(6) Other

Metrics

Reporting entities will have to report on the following personnel, patient, and facility metrics, as applicable:

Personnel Metrics
Clinical and non-clinical personnel by labor category (full-time, part-time, contract, furloughed, separated, hired).

Patient Metrics
Inpatient admissions, outpatient visits (in-person & virtual), emergency department visits, and facility stays.

Facility Metrics
Staffed beds for medical/surgical, critical care, and others.

Survey

Reporting entities will have to participate in a survey by answering questions regarding the financial and clinical care effects of the PRF and/or ARP Rural payment(s) in the following categories, as applicable:

(1) Overall operations.

(2) Maintenance of solvency and prevention of bankruptcy.

(3) Retention of staff and prevention of furlough.

(4) Re-hire or re-activation of staff from furlough.

(5) Facilitation of changes needed to operate during the pandemic.

(6) Ability to care for and/or treat patients with COVID-19.

(7) Impact on business or patient services (optional).

Upcoming PRF Reporting Dates

Reference

Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA)

The Deadline is Quickly Approaching

If you’re a recipient of PRF and/or ARP Rural payments exceeding $10,000 in the aggregate between July 1, 2021, and December 31, 2021, and you’re not already engaged with Brown Edwards to assist with your PRF Reporting for Period 4, please contact us today.