Phase 3 disbursements from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund (PRF) may now be applied to a broader range of uses to assist health care professionals in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today. In addition to flexibilities in reporting requirements for the PRF funds, HHS said additional types of providers would be eligible to apply for the funds by Nov. 6.

HHS said the reporting policy change came in response to concerns raised by health care professionals, and that the reporting instructions were revised to “increase flexibility around how providers can apply PRF money toward lost revenues attributable to coronavirus. After reimbursing health care-related expenses attributable to coronavirus that were unreimbursed by other sources, providers may use remaining PRF funds to cover any lost revenue, measured as a negative change in year-over-year actual revenue from patient care related sources.”

Read the news release from HHS here. Details of the change in reporting requirements are available here.