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After extensive lobbying from the ADA's Government Affairs team, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
is extending the deadline to August 28.
Additionally, HHS announced the following major updates impacting some dentists. Starting the week of Aug. 10, and through Aug. 28:
- Dentists who previously received small automatic payments from the General (Medicare) Distribution due to Medicare billings will be allowed to apply and receive additional funding.
- Dentists who experienced a recent change in ownership may submit their revenue information along with documentation proving a change in ownership for consideration for PRF payment.
To be eligible to apply as a non-Medicaid dental provider, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- Must not have received payment from the initial $50 billion Medicare-focused General Distribution; and
- Must not have received payment from the $15 billion Medicaid and CHIP Distribution; and
- Must have either (i) filed a federal income tax return for fiscal years 2017, 2018 or 2019 or (ii) be an entity exempt from the requirement to file a federal income tax return and have no beneficial owner that is required to file a federal income tax return (e.g. a state-owned hospital or healthcare clinic); and
- Must have provided patient dental care after January 31, 2020; and
- Must not have permanently ceased providing patient dental care directly, or indirectly through included subsidiaries; and
- If the applicant is an individual, have gross receipts or sales from providing patient dental care reported on Form 1040, Schedule C, Line 1, excluding income reported on a W-2 as a (statutory) employee.
HHS will, in part, be using a curated list of dental practice Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs) to determine eligibility. Providers with TINs on the curated list must meet other eligibility requirements including operating in good standing and not being excluded from receiving federal payments. HHS will work to validate applicants that are not on that list. If you are concerned you were not on the curated provider list, please know you need to have an active, verifiable dental provider TIN and submit your information to the PRF application portal. Any eligible dental providers not on the curated list will undergo additional review and if validated will be permitted to apply for funding. Be sure to not use any 'dashes' when entering your TIN, and on amounts lost be sure to enter negative numbers into the portal as it may not process correctly otherwise.
If you previously rejected a payment from the Medicare-General Distribution or the Medicaid and CHIP Distribution, even though you are not eligible to apply now, HHS states that "you may be eligible in future distributions of the Provider Relief Fund." The ADA has been advocating for this eligibility restriction to be lifted and will remain engaged on the issue along with trying to extend the current deadline to apply. HHS will also, in an effort to be transparent about federal funds, make public all providers who accept payment from this fund.
Dentists should review the Terms and Conditions and consult the updated Dental Distribution FAQs as well as a General Overview FAQs. For help with the application process, HHS has also set up a Provider Support Line (866) 569-3522 to assist with questions.
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