The deadline for some providers to use their COVID-19 relief funding is June 30, and the American Hospital Association is urging HHS to extend the deadline as soon as possible.
On June 11, HHS issued new guidance that staggered deadlines to use the funding based on the date that the payments were received. However, the deadline remained unchanged for payments received before June 30, 2020. The hospitals that received funding before June 30 of last year have until June 30 of this year to use the funding or return it.
The AHA wrote a new letter June 29 urging HHS to change the deadline to enable all recipients to access the funds through the end of the public health emergency or, at a minimum, through the end of 2021.
"As we discussed last week, not only are all hospitals and health systems continuing to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the uncertainty in federal rules has hindered many providers' abilities to use the funds within the allotted timeframes," the AHA said. "In addition, the four different deadlines will be confusing to administer and will disproportionately impact some providers more than others."