4/6 Update:  HRSA to reopen provider relief fund reporting on April 11  

Some providers across the country who accepted federal COVID-19 relief funds but failed to meet reporting requirements are now facing demands to return all or part of the money they were given.

Providers who received one or more payments exceeding $10,000, in the aggregate, during a “payment received period” are required to report in each applicable “reporting time period.”

The American Medical Association (AMA) and a number of national medical specialty societies have urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to reopen the phase 1 Provider Relief Fund (PRF) reporting period for at least 60 days to allow physicians who missed the deadline to report on use of those funds.

But many physician practices were unaware of the need to report, or were unable to complete the required reporting, due to the impact of the pandemic. During the late fall when the Delta variant was surging, physician practices and others were greatly impacted in many ways that may have prevented or delayed the required reporting.

AMA, the California Medical Association (CMA) and others in organized medicine are working with HRSA to identify and reach the remaining practices that have not reported to bring them into compliance. HRSA staff have indicated plans to open an appeal period, but details have not yet been released.

CMA will publish more information when it becomes available.

Physicians who need assistance can call CMA's Member Resource Center at (800) 762-4262 or economicservices@cmadocs.org.