Deadline to spend HHS relief funds extended for some providers

June 11, 2021

TARA BANNOW 

JESSIE HELLMANN

Hospitals and other provider groups expressed relief at the Biden administration’s decision Friday to grant them more time to spend COVID-19 relief grants.

HHS announced Friday four separate deadlines for when providers will have to spend or return unused Provider Relief Fund grants to the federal government, depending on when those payments were originally received. The final deadline is for funds received through the end of 2021.

“It’s a lot of good news, especially in terms of the deadline to use the funds,” said Kinman Tong, a healthcare partner with Moss Adams. “I think that’s the biggest ask and request by a lot of the providers out there.”

Providers who received PRF payments between April 10 and June 30, 2020 will still have to return any unused funds by June 30. Providers who received funds after June 30, 2020 will have staggered deadlines for using that money through the end of 2022.

“The staggered approach is definitely more welcome than the general June 30 deadline for everybody,” said Claire Ernst, associate director of government affairs for MGMA.

NEW PRF SPENDING AND REPORTING DEADLINES

HHS on Friday issued new four deadlines for spending and reporting their Provider Relief Fund grants in accordance with time periods in which they received the money.

Period Payment-received period* Deadline to use funds Reporting time period
Period 1 April 10, 2020 to June 30, 2020 June 20, 2021 July 1, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2021
Period 2 July 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020 Dec. 31, 2021 Jan. 1 2022 to March 31, 2022
Period 3 Jan. 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 June 30, 2022 July 1, 2022 to Sept. 30, 2022
Period 4 July 1, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021 Dec. 31, 2022 Jan. 1 2023 to March 31, 2023

Notes

* Payments exceeding $10,000 in aggregate received