Governor Wolf signed Act 24 of 2020, which allocates funding from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act – also known as the CARES Act. Act 24 established funding from the CARES Act to be used to cover necessary COVID-19 related costs for identified persons and entities incurred between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. Act 24 includes $457,000,000 of COVID-19 relief funds for providers of Long-Term Living Programs. To qualify for the one-time payment, the person or entity must be in operation as of March 31, 2020. This funding will be used to provide the following payments to providers of PCH and ALR services:
- PCH/ALR COVID-19 Payment
The total funds available for a one-time COVID-19 payment to PCHs and ALRs pursuant to Act 24 (PCH/ALR COVID-19 Payment) is $45,000,000. Each PCH or ALR or PCH/ALR COVID-19 payment is calculated by the dividing the licensed occupancy of the PCH or ALR, as determined by the Department of Human Services’ (Department) most recent inspection on or before April 1, 2020 by the total licensed occupancy of all ALRs, including those with a special care designation, and PCHs, as determined by the Department’s most recent inspection on or before April 1, 2020 to obtain a facility specific quotient for each PCH and ALR. Each facility’s quotient is multiplied by $45,000,000 to determine its payment amount.
- PCH Serving SSI Residents COVID-19 Payment
The total funds available for a one-time payment to PCHs pursuant to Act 24 (PCH COVID-19 Payment) is $5,000,000. Each PCH COVID-19 Payment is calculated by dividing the number of individuals for whom the PCH received a state Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payment from the Department in March 2020 divided by the total of all PCHs’ individuals for whom a state SSI payment was made by the Department in March 2020 to obtain a PCH specific quotient. Each PCH’s quotient is multiplied by $5,000,000 to determine its payment amount.
OLTL is preparing for the distribution of the funds as one-time payments to PCHs and ALRs. Payment information will be posted to the Department’s website at: https://www.dhs.pa.gov/providers/Providers/Pages/Long-Term-Care-Providers.aspx.
All providers are required to complete the attached form and supply their federal tax identification number (FEIN) in order for payment to be made and return to the Department at the following: covidpayments@pa.gov by July 31, 2020. Providers may also fax the form to the OLTL Bureau of Finance at 717-787-2145. Payment Checks will be issued and mailed after the form is received.
It is important to note that Act 24 of 2020 requires these funds to be expended by November 30, 2020 or returned to the commonwealth. Additionally, these funds must be used for COVID-19 related expenses incurred between March 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020. Providers must keep documentation to prove that these funds were used for their response to the COVID-19 pandemic in case of an audit. Any person or entity accepting a COVID-19 payment agrees to provide documentation to the Department, upon request, for purposes of determining compliance with Act 24 requirements. Instructions on expenditure reporting will be provided in the future.
Providers are advised to review guidance for eligible expenses on the U.S. Department of Treasury website:
Frequently Asked Questions: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Coronavirus-Relief-Fund-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf
If you need additional information please contact the Operator Support Hotline at 866-503-3926 or ra-pwarlheadquarters@pa.gov.
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