COVID-19 fund recoupments expected for COVID-19 uninsured program payments

A recent Office of the Inspector General (OIG) audit report estimates that the COVID-19 Uninsured Program (UIP), which was designed to reimburse providers for testing, treatment and ultimately COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured individuals, overpaid providers by $784 million for services provided between March 1 and December 31, 2020 based upon their review of a 300 randomly identified patients. The payments were deemed inappropriate because either the services was not delivered, was not related to COVID-19 or the recipient was insured. The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) administered the program through March 22, 2022, when it ran out of funds. The program was funded by appropriations made to the Provider Relief Fund. OIG recommended HRSA recoup the identified overpayments. Most of these payments went to hospitals and physicians though all health care providers were eligible to receive payments for uninsured individuals served. Most older adults would have had those services covered via Medicare, Medicare Advantage or Medicaid.  More OIG audit reports are expected related to use of COVID-19 funds.