WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 19, 2020)—As noted last week, HHS opened the application portal for CARES Act relief for Medicaid/CHIP-only providers. The new round of relief is for health care providers who have directly billed their state Medicaid/CHIP programs or Medicaid managed care plans between Jan. 1, 2018 and May 31, 2020, and did not qualify for the Medicare-based $50 billion general distribution.
AAHomecare is working with its members regarding issues that have developed with the Medicaid portion of the Provider Relief Program. Suppliers have reported that they have been denied any Medicaid-related relief because they received small Medicare relief payments. Even companies who declined to accept first tranche payments that were automatically sent to suppliers are ineligible for any Medicaid-based relief.
The Association believes that this was an unintended consequence of rolling out the relief program so quickly. There was also a lack of clarity about supplier eligibility and how each tranche of payments related to the others.
AAHomecare has reached out to the Administration about the issue and will work with Congress to ensure suppliers are eligible for relief that reflects their service to beneficiaries under Medicare and Medicaid.
The Medicaid-based provider relief deadline is extended to July 20, 2020.
