By HFT Editorial Staff

Senior living and assisted living providers are among the organization that are receiving American Rescue Plan (ARP) rural payments to help with financial effects from the pandemic. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced it has begun distributing $7.5 billion in ARP rural payments to providers and suppliers who serve rural Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program and Medicare beneficiaries.

The average payment being announced today is approximately $170,700, with payments ranging from $500 to approximately $43 million. More than 40,000 providers in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and six territories will receive ARP Rural payments.

Research has found that 47 percent of rural providers were operating in the red pre-pandemic, and the pandemic worsened their situations. To help mitigate some of these pandemic-related financial losses, providers were invited to apply for this ARP rural relief funding starting September 202. In just three weeks, HRSA processed nearly 96 percent of the more than 55,000 ARP Rural applications submitted.

Many ARP Rural payment recipients will also be eligible for additional funding through the $17 billion Provider Relief Fund Phase 4 opportunity that was also made available during the same time period.