The formula HHS used to allocate $50 billion in COVID-19 relief aid favored hospitals with the highest share of private payer revenue, according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Four things to know:
1. When HHS distributed the first $50 billion in federal relief funds to hospitals in April, hospitals with the highest share of private insurance received more than twice as much per bed as hospitals with the smallest share of private payer revenue, according to KFF's analysis of more than 4,500 hospitals.
2. Hospitals in the bottom 10 percent based on share of private insurance received $20,710 per bed.
3. Hospitals in the top 10 percent based on share of private insurance received $44,321 per bed.
4. HHS' Office of Inspector General recently announced it will audit the $50 billion in relief aid sent to hospitals. The OIG will review data and interview program officials to determine if the payments were correctly calculated and review payments for compliance with requirements of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.