CMS Pays Out $51B Under Accelerated and Advance Payment Program

On April 7, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that it had paid out over $34 billion under the Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program to healthcare providers affected by the coronavirus public health emergency. Two days later, the figure had grown to $51 billion.

CMS announced an expansion of the program on March 28, as previously discussed here. Over 21,000 of the first 32,000 requests CMS received for the upfront payments were approved within the first week of the initiative. Unlike funds provided under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Accelerated and Advance Payment Program funds will have to be repaid, on terms that vary based on provider/supplier type.