Program Overview
As part of enacted legislation—the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSA) —the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), will provide claims reimbursement to health care providers generally at Medicare rates for testing uninsured individuals for COVID-19, for treating uninsured individuals with a COVID-19 primary diagnosis, and for COVID-19 vaccine administration to the uninsured.
Physicians and other health care providers are true heroes – especially during the COVID-19 pandemic – and HHS is grateful for their continued dedication.
More than $11.6B has been paid and over 309,000 health care providers have enrolled in the program to date.*
Hear more from providers who have participated in this program.
* As of October 12, 2021
How It Works
Health care providers who have conducted COVID-19 testing or provided treatment for uninsured individuals with a COVID-19 primary diagnosis on or after February 4, 2020, or provided COVID-19 vaccine administration to uninsured individuals can electronically request claims reimbursement through the program and will be reimbursed generally at Medicare rates, subject to available funding. Steps involve: enrolling as a provider participant, checking patient eligibility, submitting patient information, submitting claims electronically, and receiving payment via direct deposit. A separate program, the HRSA COVID-19 Coverage Assistance Fund, is available to reimburse providers for COVID-19 vaccine administration to underinsured individuals whose health plan either does not include COVID-19 vaccination as a covered benefit or covers COVID-19 vaccine administration but with cost-sharing.
Who Is Eligible?
Providers may submit claims for uninsured individuals in the U.S. without health care coverage. Providers will verify and attest that the patient does not have individual, employer-sponsored, Medicare or Medicaid coverage, and no other payer will reimburse them for COVID-19 testing, treatment for COVID-19, and/or COVID-19 vaccine administration for that patient.
What Is Covered?
For dates of service or admittance on or after February 4, 2020, providers will be eligible to seek reimbursement for COVID-19 testing and testing-related visits for uninsured individuals, treatment for uninsured individuals with a COVID-19 diagnosis, and COVID-19 vaccination administration fees.
Steps You'll Need to Take
- Validate your TIN
- Add your provider roster
- Register for direct deposit
- Add & attest to your patient roster
- Submit your claims
- Receive your reimbursement
Ready to Get Started?
How to sign up and what to expect in the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal
