Recipients of Period 1 Provider Relief Funds may request additional time to fulfill reporting requirements for the money, which was appropriated to reimburse eligible health care providers for health care related expenses or lost revenues attributable to the coronavirus. 

Physicians who received more than $10,000 in provider relief funds but who have not submitted their Period 1 report to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) may now submit a late Reporting Period 1 report request between Monday, April 11, and Friday, April 22, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

“Physician practices should receive information about how to submit a request directly from HRSA via email,” the AMA said in an April 6 email to ISMA and other medical societies. “If a provider did not submit a Period 1 report and does not hear from HRSA, the provider may initiate communication by calling 866-569-3522.”

“During this reopening period, a provider must choose an extenuating circumstance(s) that prevented compliance with the original reporting deadline,” the AMA said. “While attesting to an extenuating circumstance is required, no supporting document or proof is required. If HRSA approves the extenuated circumstances form, the provider will receive a notification to proceed with completing the Reporting Period 1 report shortly thereafter.”

The AMA attributed the extension directly to physician advocacy. In a March 31 letter to HRSA, the AMA and 31 national medical specialty societies noted that small and rural practices were particularly impacted by the potential recoupment, and that physician practices were unaware of the deadline.