HHS tapped UnitedHealth Group to quickly disperse an initial $30 billion in emergency federal funding to hospitals and healthcare providers under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
UnitedHealth made the announcement April 10. The CARES Act provides more than $100 billion to hospitals and creates an emergency fund to reimburse healthcare providers for expenses or lost revenues related to COVID-19. Those funds, which are based on Medicare revenue, will begin to flow to hospitals April 10 through HHS' partnerships with UnitedHealth. The funds won't need to be repaid, as they're payments, not loans.
Providers will be paid through the automated clearing house account information they have on file with UnitedHealth Group, UnitedHealthcare or Optum Bank, or used for reimbursement from CMS. If providers receive reimbursement through paper checks, they will receive the assistance funds via paper check within the coming weeks, HHS said.
Providers will be required to confirm receipt of the funds and agree to terms and conditions of the payment within 30 days of getting it. The portal for signing the attestation will be linked from hhs.gov/providerrelief and will open the week of April 13.
UnitedHealth plans to donate all fees for the administration of the funds.