Fourth COVID-19 Spending Bill Includes Funding for Hospitals, Testing

President Donald Trump last month signed the fourth emergency COVID-19 spending bill, a $484 billion package.

Approved by Congress and signed into law in the last week of April, the spending package was mainly intended to prop up the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program, which ran out of money earlier in the month following a run on claims for assistance.

But the Paycheck Protection Plan and Healthcare Enhancement Act (HR 266) also provides $100 billion in supplemental appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund. This includes $75 billion to reimburse health care providers for health care–related expenses or lost revenues that are attributable to the coronavirus outbreak in addition to the $100 billion approved in late March under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act; and $25 billion for expenses to research, develop, manufacture, administer, and expand capacity for COVID-19 tests to effectively monitor and suppress COVID-19.

In the run up to the bill’s passage, APA and 11 other mental health and substance use treatment organizations sent a statement alerting Congressional leadership to the urgent need for direct funding to behavioral health and substance use treatment programs from the provider relief fund enacted under the CARES Act. While the spending bill approved last month did not specifically include funding for behavioral health, some mental health and substance use treatment programs may benefit from the funding.

HHS posted a fact sheet about the provider relief fund. APA has also posted guidance to practitioners regarding provider relief and other practice issues related to COVID-19 on the APA website (see end of article for links).

Meanwhile, APA and other medical and mental health specialty groups continue to work with Congress and the Trump administration to maintain and increase support for community behavioral health programs.

“Before the pandemic broke out, there was bipartisan consensus that addressing mental health, substance use, and suicide were urgent national priorities. Congress took preliminary steps to increase funding for mental health and addiction services, but these investments may soon be lost because of the financial strain COVID-19 has taken on our mental health and addiction system,” the coalition said in a statement sent to Congressional leaders last month.

Citing a survey conducted by the National Council for Behavioral Health (see story), the coalition noted that many behavioral health organizations “don’t have the funds they need to ride out this crisis.” The survey of 880 behavioral health organizations across the country revealed that 62% believe they can survive financially for only three months or less under current conditions. “Organizations have canceled, rescheduled, or turned away 31% of patients, and 92% have reduced their operations,” they wrote.

The statement noted that the CARES Act included funding to health care professionals, with a priority on paying hospitals through Medicare. However, community behavioral health organizations rely primarily on Medicaid and have largely been left out of critical emergency funding. “We urge Congress to dedicate significant resources specifically to supporting community behavioral health programs during the crisis,” the coalition stated. ■

The text of the Paycheck Protection and Healthcare Enhancement Act is posted here.

Guidance from APA regarding the provider relief fund and other COVID-related practice issues is posted here.

The HHS fact sheet about the provider relief fund established by the CARES Act is posted here.