Series: Audits of CARES Act Provider Relief Funds—Payments to Health Care Providers That Applied for General Distribution Under Phases 1, 2, and 3

OBJECTIVE

The Provider Relief Fund (PRF), a $178 billion program, provides relief funds to hospitals and other health care providers for health-care-related expenses or lost revenue attributable to COVID-19 and to ensure that uninsured Americans can get testing and treatment for COVID-19.For the General Distribution of the PRF, HHS allocated funds in three phases: $50 billion during Phase 1 for Medicare providers; $18 billion during Phase 2 for Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program providers, dental providers, certain Medicare providers, and assisted living facilities; and $24 billion during Phase 3 for certain behavioral health providers and newly practicing providers, as well as providers that received a payment under a previous phase. Providers applying for General Distribution funds must meet certain requirements, such as submitting revenue information and supporting documentation to the Health Resources and Services Administration, which uses this information to determine eligibility and payments. We will perform a series of audits of funds related to the three phases of the General Distribution to determine whether payments were: (1) correctly calculated for providers that applied for these payments, (2) supported by appropriate and reasonable documentation, and (3) made to eligible providers.

There are 3 projects in this series.

Project titles will remain unpublished until projects are complete and reports are posted.

ACTIVE PROJECTS IN THIS SERIES (3)

TIMELINE

• April 6, 2023
  Series Number W-00-24-35873 Assigned
• April 6, 2023
  Project Announced

  Project A-02-23-01014

• July 11, 2023
  Project Announced

  Project A-09-23-01006

• September 14, 2023
  Project Announced

  Project A-02-23-01025

• Today
  3 Audits In-Progress
• Est FY2026
  Estimated Fiscal Year for Series Completion

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