HHS begins distributing billions in relief funds to skilled nursing facilities

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has begun distributing billions in additional relief funds to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nursing homes have faced unique challenges as their population of high-risk seniors are more vulnerable to respiratory pathogens like COVID-19. The workers at these facilities have also been impacted, with many contracting the disease.

This funding will be used to support nursing homes suffering from significant expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19. The additional funds are designed to help nursing homes address critical needs such as labor, scaling up their testing capacity, acquiring personal protective equipment, and a range of other expenses directly linked to this pandemic.

Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, the federal government has provided $175 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other healthcare providers toward the coronavirus response.

HHS will make relief fund distributions to SNFs based on both a fixed basis and variable basis. Each facility will receive a fixed distribution of $50,000, plus a distribution of $2,500 per bed. All certified skilled nursing facilities with six or more certified beds are eligible for this targeted distribution.

Nursing home recipients must attest that they will only use the relief payments for permissible purposes and agree to comply with future government audit and reporting requirements.