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Home , Dean Phillips, Ilhan Omar, Michelle Fischbach, Pete Stauber, Tina Smith, Tom Emmer

August 5, 2021

The Honorable The Honorable U.S. Senate U.S. Senate 425 Dirksen Senate Office Building 720 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable The Honorable U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives 325 Cannon House Office Building 1523 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable The Honorable Betty McCollum U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives 1305 Longworth House Office Building 2256 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable The Honorable U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives 1517 Longworth House Office Building 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

The Honorable The Honorable U.S. House of Representatives U.S. House of Representatives 2204 Rayburn House Office Building 126 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Washington, DC 20515

Subject: Support for the Provider Relief Fund Deadline Extension Act (S. 2493/H.R. 4735)

Dear members of the congressional delegation:

Thank you again for your continued partnership with Minnesota hospitals and health systems during the COVID-19 pandemic. Your support and collaboration have been critical in the ability of hospitals, health systems and health care providers to meet the needs of all communities in the state during this unprecedented time. As stated in my prior letters and our regular congressional delegation calls last year, Minnesota hospitals and health systems face significant challenges while combating COVID-19. To continue meeting these challenges while managing stressed financial resources, I urge you to support the Provider Relief Fund Deadline Extension Act (S. 2493/H.R. 4735).

Minnesota hospitals and health systems support this bipartisan proposal that allows providers who received Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments prior to June 30, 2020, to use their payments through Dec. 31, 2021, or the end of the public health emergency. The PRF was first established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act were added to the PRF to provide additional support for hospital and provider response to the COVID-19 crisis.

Members of the Minnesota congressional delegation Page 2 August 5, 2021

Congress provided $178 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to allocate to health care providers to support COVID response. In June, HHS suddenly announced that if providers do not use their allocated funds by a specific deadline, they must return the money to HHS. The most recent change in reporting requirement guidance came less than one month prior to the first deadline to use funds, which was on June 30, 2021. These requirements also come at a time when Minnesota is experiencing increases in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations as the delta variant impacts our communities and providers.

These resources are needed as hospitals and health systems continue to provide care in communities across the state. It simply is not the time to reduce resources for hospitals and health systems.

The Provider Relief Fund Deadline Extension Act will help ensure that Minnesota hospitals and health systems have enough time to use their PRF to provide their patients with the highest quality of care and cover the costs of staff, critical projects, equipment and other necessary expenses.

Again, thank you for what you have done thus far to partner with us during this pandemic. I am confident that working together, we will keep our health care system in a position to provide lifesaving care to Minnesotans during and after this national emergency.

Sincerely,

Rahul Koranne, M.D., MBA, FACP President & CEO