Providing you with the education, information and resources you need to serve your patients remains our number one priority. The GOA is committed to providing you with vital information during this time of uncertainty.
GOA PPE Survey

Due to unprecedented demand for all forms of Personal Protective Equipment, the GOA is looking to develop relationships with vendors who can support your volume of needs. Some vendors have minimum requirements which would negate the ability to have small offices order individually. The GOA is looking to help combine our efforts to create partnerships. We have already listed some suppliers on our  GOA COVID-19 Resource page .

We need to understand the needs of our members in order for us to create a relationship to negotiate volume discounts for offices. Please respond to the survey below with what you estimate you will need over the next 60 days. Understand that this is only an estimation and not a commitment to purchase.

Take the survey here:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BRRKKHW
From the US Department of Health and Human Services: CARES Act Provider Relief Fund

Dear valued provider:

Thank you for your tireless efforts during this critical time. President Trump is providing support to healthcare providers fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The President signed the bipartisan CARES legislation that provides $100 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other healthcare providers on the front lines of the coronavirus response. Recognizing the importance of delivering funds in a fast and transparent manner, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is distributing $30 billion of the relief funds immediately. These are payments to healthcare providers, not loans, and will not need to be repaid.

Who is eligible for funds from the initial $30 billion?
Billing entities who received Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) reimbursements in 2019 are eligible for this initial rapid distribution. Your organization qualifies and you will automatically receive payment soon.

How are payment amounts determined?
Providers will receive a portion of the initial $30 billion distribution based on their share of total Medicare FFS reimbursements in 2019. Providers can obtain their 2019 Medicare FFS billings from their organization’s revenue management system.

How will payments be distributed?
HHS is partnering with UnitedHealth Group to deliver funds. You will receive payment within two weeks via Automated Clearing House (ACH). The automatic payments will come via Optum Bank with “HHSPAYMENT” as the payment description. Payments to practices that are part of larger medical groups will be sent to the group’s central billing office. All relief payments are made to provider billing organizations based on their Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs).

What action should I take?
Within 30 days of receiving the payment, you must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the terms and conditions of payment. Terms and conditions can be found on hhs.gov/providerrelief. The CARES Provider Relief Payment Portal for signing the attestation will be open the week of April 13, 2020, and will be linked from hhs.gov/providerrelief.

Whom can I contact for more information?
For additional information, please visit hhs.gov/providerrelief or call the CARES Provider Relief line at (866) 569-3522.

Thank you for all you are doing to support and protect the American people
A Message from GOA Silver Partner VSP: PPE Supplier List and Tips

Hi everyone,

As you know, many practices are in need of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as they prepare to re-open their practices and/or return to providing routine care in the coming weeks. As we are working on multiple pieces of VSP Global’s comprehensive PPE offering to support practices, please see the attached  PPE Suppliers List and Tips document . This is designed to connect practices with suppliers who have access to PPE and who VSP has worked with in the past, along with best practices for ordering. Please note that we cannot guarantee inventory or availability of materials from these suppliers.
 
There are more PPE-related offerings in development and information will be shared over the next couple weeks, including additional “re-opening” resources, education and training, and VSP-manufactured Face Shields. More information will be shared on those, aiming for later this week.
 
VSP Network doctors should start receiving this information tomorrow and we wanted you to have advanced notice to share with your members as a resource.
 
Thanks,
 
Kristen Reynolds Hopper
VSP Global | State Optometric Associations Relationship Manager | Doctor Relations
#AskAOA Webinars

As plans begin to take shape on reopening the U.S., doctors need information to guide practice re-opening.


When: 9 p.m. ET, Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Have a question for the experts? Submit it to  askAOA@aoa.org .
*The above information is prepared by the GOA staff for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice. Individuals should consult a lawyer, the IRS or a tax advisor to address questions related to their individual circumstances.