HHS is expected to make an announcement early next week on a fourth tranche from the provider relief fund (PRF) for all eligible health care providers, including long-term care providers. While specific details are not yet known, it is anticipated that the methodology will focus on provider losses from Q3 and Q4 of 2020 and Q1 of 2021. The total amount of PRF dollars remaining is estimated at $20-30 billion.
As we wait for an official announcement, we are hopeful our voices are being heard on Capitol Hill and by the administration in our continued push for targeted funding for the sector. We have received encouraging feedback from officials at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and nearly two dozen congressional offices have relayed our message to the administration in recent weeks to underscore the need for targeted and equitable relief.
Our message to the administration is bolstered by the recent NORC and NIC research report on the comparably favorable outcomes in senior living facilities despite the disparity in relief, along with the recently released state-based infographics showing projected losses at nearly $30 billion nationally, and the congressional sign-on letters sent to the administration at Argentum’s request in April that garnered the support of 59 members of the House of Representatives and 25 Senators, all amplifying our call for targeted and equitable relief.
We appreciate the continued engagement of Argentum Advocates members on this issue, and will share information on an announcement as soon as it is released.