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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched a portal on Monday where health care providers can be reimbursed for their care of uninsured COVID-19 patients.
The Uninsured Program Portal, set up through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), allows health care providers to apply for claims reimbursement at Medicare rates if they provided testing or care to uninsured patients on or after Feb. 4.
“President Trump has promised to cover COVID-19 testing and treatment for uninsured individuals, and today, HHS is launching the tools needed to do that," HHS Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement. "Congress appropriated funding for COVID-19 testing for the uninsured and also appropriated funding for a general fund to support providers affected by COVID-19. The President and HHS made the bold decision to ensure that some of this money is specifically devoted to covering care for the uninsured.”
Providers can access the portal at COVIDUninsuredClaim.HRSA.gov.
HHS ANNOUNCES DETAILS ON CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE FOR UNINSURED
The cash will come from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, which allocates $100 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other health care providers.
The “Phase 3.5” coronavirus stimulus package includes $75 billion for reimbursement to hospitals and health care providers, $25 billion to research, develop, validate, manufacture, purchase, administer, and expand capacity for COVID-19 tests, and $11 billion for states, localities, territories and tribes to develop, purchase, administer, process and analyze COVID-19 tests, among other things.
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The much-needed funding is the second round of payments to health care providers -- tacking on to the $30 billion already distributed -- to support doctors and hospitals that are suffering economic losses due to shelved elective procedures as the uptick of coronavirus cases required more immediate attention.
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Still, Democrats say the funds are not enough, pushing for the next bill to include “hazard pay” for health care workers fighting the virus on the front lines, temporary housing for essential workers who need to quarantine away from their families, and financial support for healthcare workers who contract coronavirus.
Fox News' Gregg Re and Vandana Rambaran contributed to this report.
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