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Federal Government

These resources – like the public health crisis itself – are constantly evolving and are only current as to the date of publication. This page was last updated on April 26, 2020.

We recommend that you monitor this site, as well as the sites referenced in these resources, for updates and changes as we expect the situation and solutions to change over the coming weeks and months. For information on specific programs, we encourage you to visit the websites of the organizations or government entities that are responsible for the relief.

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Description of Program and Relief

CARES Act: Support for Healthcare Providers

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) appropriates funds to detect, prevent, diagnose, and treat coronavirus, and provides additional funding for telehealth:

  • $1.32 billion for fiscal year 2020 to guarantee federal loans for community health centers serving medically underserved populations, to detect, prevent, diagnose, and treat COVID-19.

  • $29 million in fiscal years 2021 through 2025 for evidence-based projects that utilize telehealth in rural and medically underserved areas.

  • $79.5 million in years 2021 through 2025 for rural health development, and small-healthcare-provider grant programs.

The CARES Act also provides for other measures to support healthcare providers:

  • The Act limits federal- and state-law liability for health professionals who volunteer during the public health emergency to diagnose, prevent, or treat COVID-19 or provide care to known or suspected COVID-19 patients. These liability limitations apply only to volunteer services within scope of the health professional’s license, registration, or certification and are subject to exceptions, including for gross negligence and criminal or willful misconduct.

  • The Secretary of Health and Human Services (“HHS”) is authorized to conduct a national outreach campaign during the public health emergency to raise awareness regarding blood donations, and to contract with nonprofit entities to implement that campaign.

Government or Lead Agency

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Dates Available

Federal loan guarantees will be provided for community health care centers for the medically underserved for 2020, and funding for certain telehealth, rural health care, and small health care provider quality improvement grant programs for fiscal years 2021-2025.

The limits on federal and state liability for registered or certified health professional volunteers take effect on March 28, 2020 and apply to volunteer services rendered during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Eligibility Requirements/Restrictions

Community health centers for the medically underserved and certain telehealth, rural health care, and small health care provider quality improvement grant programs will be eligible for loan guarantees and funding, as applicable.

Certified health professional volunteers are eligible for liability protections for services that are (i) provided on a volunteer basis; (ii) related to diagnosing, preventing or treating COVID-19, or the assessment or care of the health of a human being related to an actual or suspected case of COVID-19, and (iii) within the scope of the volunteer’s license, registration or certification.


© 2021 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. This does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. In some jurisdictions, this publication may be considered attorney advertising. Past representations are no guarantee of future outcomes.

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