Provider Relief Fund Federal Audits Are Here: What To Expect
HRSA has distributed nearly $170 billion in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments to eligible health care providers since April 2020. Now the federal government has now started recipient audits. The scope of each audit broadly covers compliance with the applicable terms and conditions attached to the receipt of relief fund payments, how an entity used these funds to reimburse eligible expenses and lost revenue, or specific relief fund compliance requirements such as the restriction against balance billing out-of-network patients for COVID-19 treatment. Audits can be conducted by HRSA with nongovernmental contractors, the OIG, or other government agencies, and are in addition to the single audit requirement to which many recipients are subject. Despite the scope of the audit or which government agency oversees the work, providers should prepare for potential government audits now. Every Every provider relief fund recipient is required to comply with the relevant reporting obligations.