Many providers that received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments between April 10 and June 30, 2020, (Period 1) but failed to report on use of those funds by the December 20, 2021, deadline have received notices from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) demanding repayment of all PRF funds because of non-compliance with the PRF terms and conditions. In response to public pressure, HRSA is now affording these providers the opportunity to submit a Request to Report Late Due to Extenuating Circumstances Form (Request Form). The window for submitting a completed Request Form is narrow: Monday, April 11 – Friday, April 22, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
As part of the Request Form, a provider must attest that one of the following allowable extenuating circumstances applied at the time of the deadline:
- Severe illness or death
- Impact by natural disaster
- Lack of receipt of reporting communications
- Failure to click “Submit”
- Internal miscommunication or error
- Incomplete Targeted Distribution payments
If approved, a provider will then be able to complete the required reporting and thus retain Period 1 PRF funds. HRSA will continue to seek repayment from providers that do not submit a Request Form or that are denied the opportunity to report.
HRSA will allow a provider to submit a Request Form based on attestation. To submit a Request Form, a provider must be registered in the PRF Reporting Portal. Providers will be required to “indicate and attest to a clear and concise explanation related to the applicable extenuating circumstance,” but supporting documentation will not be required. After review, HRSA will notify providers whether their requests are approved or denied. If approved, providers will have 10 days from the date the notification is received to report in the PRF Reporting Portal.
HRSA has not yet addressed how it will handle non-compliant providers that have already returned their PRF funds or the timeframe to submit Request Forms for Reporting Period 2.
If you have questions or need assistance related to PRF reporting, or need additional COVID-19 guidance, visit PYA’s COVID-19 hub. One of our executive contacts would also be happy to assist. You may email them below or call (800) 270-9629.
