On February 26, 2021, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury issued Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the implementation of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”), and other health coverage issuesrelated to COVID-19.
Continue Reading New Guidance on Health Plans’ COVID-19 Coverage Obligations
On September 19, 2020, the Health Resources and Services Administration (“HRSA”) of the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) issued guidance (“September Guidance”) regarding the post-payment reporting requirements applicable to providers who received more than $10,000 in relief fund payments from the Provider Relief Fund (“PRF”) – a fund created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (the “CARES Act”) and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (the “PPP Act”) to provide financial relief to hospitals, physicians, and other health care providers. In addition to the reporting requirements, the September Guidance includes information regarding the PRF audit procedures applicable to PRF recipients.
Continue Reading Department of Health and Human Services Releases New Provider Relief Fund FAQs: Reporting, Single Audits and What You Can Do Now
In a July 21, 2020 American Hospital Association (AHA) Press Release, the AHA announced the results of a new analysis prepared by Kaufman, Hall & Associates, LLC that, “highlights the dire impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the financial health of hospitals and health systems.” According to the Press Release, the analysis shows that, without further government support, margins could sink to -7% in the second half of 2020, with half of all hospitals operating in the red. In this same Press Release, the AHA referenced its own studies that estimate a minimum of $323.1 billion in COVID-19 – related financial losses for hospitals and health systems in 2020.
Continue Reading Hospitals, Home Health Agencies, and Skilled Nursing Facilities: The Costs of COVID-19 and Federal Relief for Healthcare Providers
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act provided trillions in economic relief in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including hundreds of billions of dollars in aid for the healthcare industry. Regulators in the healthcare industry have also adjusted regulations and procedures in response to the changing landscape caused by the pandemic. While the CARES Act and regulatory changes provide much-needed help, accepting funds and navigating the regulatory changes can add many legal pitfalls to an already cluttered regulatory scheme. As the government prepares to prosecute fraud and abuse by recipients of CARES Act funds, healthcare entities—the top payors of government enforcement and qui tam dollars—should take care to avoid claims of misconduct under the CARES Act.
Continue Reading Tips for the Unwary: Precautions Against Liability for Healthcare Businesses Receiving CARES Act Funds
On Friday, April 10, 2020, the Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) began distributing $30B of the $100B appropriated in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act to the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (“PHSSEF”), also called the “CARES Act Provider Relief Fund”. HHS distributed the funds to providers based on their 2019 Medicare fee-for-service (“FFS”) reimbursement. We understand that $26B of this $30B have already been directly deposited into providers’ accounts. Many providers have questions about what happens next. We address the top ten questions here.
Continue Reading HHS Distributes First $30B of CARES Act Provider Relief Fund – What Providers Need to Know and Do Next
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”) provides many avenues of potential funding relief for health care providers and suppliers who are suffering increased expenses and lost revenues as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Some of these funding opportunities may or will require affirmative action by a health care provider or supplier, e.g., the submission of an application for relief. Other funding mechanisms will go into effect without additional provider action. Set forth below is a summary description of these opportunities.
Continue Reading Increased Expenses and Lost Revenues? CARES Act Funding Opportunities for Health Care Providers and Suppliers
In this time of crisis, nonprofits of all shapes and sizes have been scrambling to obtain assistance under the federal CARES Act. Sheppard Mullin’s Nonprofit Team is grateful for the special opportunity to help by partnering with Independent Sector, a prominent national coalition representing the diverse interests of charitable organizations and corporate philanthropy programs across the country whose membership is comprised of more than 400 public charities, private foundation and large corporations involved in philanthropy. We partnered with Independent Sector in developing the following tools to help nonprofits understand and obtain the relief available under the CARES Act:
Continue Reading Answers for Nonprofits Seeking Relief under the CARES Act
On Friday, March 27, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) was enacted. Organized below are concise summaries of select CARES Act sections that will impact various sectors of the health care industry:
Continue Reading Key Health Care Provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”)
The Sheppard Mullin Healthcare Law Blog has included many blog articles over the last weeks and months regarding telehealth. As our most recent blog articles show, telehealth is playing an important role in the COVID-19 pandemic – telehealth is a natural-born solution to the problem of providing healthcare while meeting the challenges of social distancing.
Continue Reading Coronavirus Aid, Relief, And Economic Security Act Of 2020: Telehealth Front and Center