HHS announced that it is distributing the first performance-based Provider Relief Fund payments to nursing homes. Earlier this summer, HHS announced that it would issue approximately $2 billion in payments to nursing homes, based on their performance against measures of COVID-19 infection and mortality; this first payment–totaling $333 million–is the first of five performance-based payments (payments will be made in October through January based on the prior month’s performance; the February payment will be based on aggregate performance across performance periods). Over 77% of nursing homes (or 10,631 nursing homes) met the gating infection control criteria and, of those 10,631, 76% qualified for payments.

HHS published state-by-state data about the allocation; however, a share of payments appear to be missing from the state-by-state data (HHS indicates that $333 million in payments are being distributed, but shows a total of $250.7 million in the state-by-state data). HHS indicates that it will update this data to capture all recipients as disbursements continue.