There is A LOT in the 5,500+ page stimulus bill. One thing that jumped out at me is that it looks like Congress is now requiring that HHS use 85% of the remaining money in the provider relief fund for grants to providers to help cover financial losses. (1/7)
My initial take is that this could limit HHS’s ability to use the provider relief fund to reimburse for care for uninsured COVID-19 patients, as it has been doing up until now (in addition to using the money for provider grants). (2/7)
This new 85% requirement may mean that of the remaining $28B that is still unallocated in the provider relief fund, only $4.2B can be used to pay for COVID-19 vaccine administration for the uninsured or reimbursing providers for treating uninsured COVID-19 patients. (3/7)
Providers who get free doses of COVID-19 vaccines through operation warp speed are prohibited from billing uninsured patients – but HHS has said they can get reimbursed through the provider relief fund. (4/7) https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/vaccine-coverage-pricing-and-reimbursement-in-the-u-s/
Vaccine Coverage, Pricing, and Reimbursement in the U.S.

The brief provides an overview of how vaccines are reimbursed and covered across government programs and different types of health insurance in the United States. It coverage regulations specific t…

https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/vaccine-coverage-pricing-and-reimbursement-in-the-u-s/
Trump’s program to pay for care for uninsured COVID-19 patients works differently – it has left many unprotected b/c it lets providers bill patients directly instead of seeking payment through the fund. Also, not all COVID-19 patients are eligible. (5/7) https://www.kff.org/health-costs/issue-brief/gaps-in-cost-sharing-protections-for-covid-19-testing-and-treatment-could-spark-public-concerns-about-covid-19-vaccine-costs/
Where does this leave us?There should be enough $ to pay providers giving the vaccine to uninsured patients. But this new 85% rule limits how Biden can use the fund. There may not be enough $ left to make changes to better protect uninsured COVID-19 patients using this money(6/7)
More comprehensive policy options are still available to provide insurance coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, although these policies would likely increase government spending. https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/what-people-and-policymakers-can-do-about-losing-coverage-during-the-covid-19-crisis/
What People (and Policymakers) Can Do About Losing Coverage During the COVID-19 Crisis

With unemployment claims rising amid the COVID-19 crisis, this post examines options for people who lose job-based coverage and steps policymakers could take to smooth their transitions.

https://www.kff.org/policy-watch/what-people-and-policymakers-can-do-about-losing-coverage-during-the-covid-19-crisis/
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