These resources are intended to help practices manage the non-clinical business aspects of the pandemic period. Clinical guidance for physicians can be found on ACP’s COVID-19 resource page.
What's New
Updated 1/11/2023
- Secretary Becerra renewed the PHE declaration on January 11, 2023, extending the PHE (until April 11) for what is expected to be the final time. The Omnibus bill passed in December 2022 extended telehealth flexibilities through December 31, 2024, replacing the post-PHE 151-day grace period that had been previously outlined in the 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Learn more about these recent changes by reading ACP’s fact sheet: COVID-19 Post Public Health Emergency (PHE) Flexibilities.
Telehealth Guidance & Resources
Guidance and education for the use of telehealth during the COVID-19 emergency and beyond, including video visits, remote monitoring, and telephone visits.
State COVID-19 and Telehealth Policies
State-by-state Policy Changes Resulting from COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
Many states issued their own public health emergencies, resulting in changes to Medicaid, private payer, and licensure for telehealth. While many state PHEs have expired, many state legislatures have modified rules related to use of telehealth.
- The Center for Connected Health Policy (CCHP) has two toolkits that track COVID-19 Telehealth Coverage Policies and COVID-19 Related State Actions, which include Medicaid clarification, waivers, and telehealth guidance, prescription and consent waivers, private payer requirements, and cross-state licensing.
- The Alliance for Connected Care also has created an easy-to-read chart showing state changes to licensure, coverage, and other changes.
For a full listing of all blanket waivers and flexibilities related to provider enrollment, telehealth, 1135 waivers, and other changes resulting from the COVID-19 public health emergency, go here.
- CMS has revised guidance regarding additional flexibilities specific to FQHCs and RHCs (revised Nov 2022).
- Physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and clinical nurse specialists can certify the need for home health services and order services. These changes are permanent, and retroactive to March 1, 2020.
Practice Financial Assistance
Provider Relief Fund Payments
Provider Relief Fund payments were intended to provide funds to hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare entities to cover COVID-related expenses and revenue losses. These are payments, not loans, so recipients do not need to pay them back, but there are reporting requirements and other restrictions. There have been several distributions of general allocation payments, plus one for Medicaid and CHIP providers, and several “targeted” allocations. For general information about the CARES Act and each distribution, click here.
- These FAQs offer clarification on various aspects of the PRF program.
- For more details on reporting requirements, including how to calculate revenues and losses, see the complete PRF and ARP Rural Payment FAQs here.
- Each distribution has terms and conditions
- The IRS provided clarification that Provider Relief Fund payments are considered taxable income.
- The Post-Payment Notice of Reporting Requirements issued June 11, 2021, can be found here.
- Recipients of Provider Relief Funds (all distributions) are required to submit detailed reports
Summary of Reporting Requirements
|
Payment Received Period (Payments Exceeding $10,000 in Aggregate Received) |
Deadline to Use Funds |
Reporting Time Period |
---|---|---|---|
Period 1 |
From April 10, 2020 to June 30, 2020 |
June 30, 2021 |
July 1 to September 30, 2021* |
Period 2 |
From July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020 |
December 31, 2021 |
January 1 to March 31, 2022 * |
Period 3 |
From January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 |
June 30, 2022 |
July 1 to September 30, 2022 |
Period 4 |
From July 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 |
December 31, 2022 |
January 1 to March 31, 2023 |
* Late Reporting
The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) is administering the PRF reporting. Click the following for more details on the following topics:
- PRF Reporting Portal
- Reporting and Auditing
- Late Reporting Due to Extenuating Circumstances
- Current and Future Payments (Phase 4 and American Rescue Plan Rural Distributions)
Small Business Administration Programs
The US Small Business Association was put in charge of several COVID-19 relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) emergency advance, which offer low-interest loans to small businesses to cover payroll, benefits, rent, mortgage, utilities, and other business expenses. These programs have ended.
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