Employers
COVID-19 Assistance Programs for Providers Cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, contributing to financial pressures across our community, including to our healthcare provider organizations and individual practices. To help our PCMH providers, as well as independent practices in certain specialty areas, CareFirst is accelerating funding to numerous provider organizations in Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia.
CareFirst Accelerated Payment Program
CareFirst PCMH Providers
PCMH providers who are eligible for an outcome incentive award have the option of receiving their award as a lump-sum payment. Providers should contact their practice consultant for detailed information
Monthly Advance Funding Option – PCMH, OBGYN and Behavioral Health
CareFirst is offering temporary advanced funding for certain PCMH practices, independent OBGYN and behavioral health providers who need additional assistance. If you are interested, complete the Accelerated Payment Request by May 12. Please note, CareFirst is reviewing requests through May 12 for these specialties. After May 18, CareFirst may consider requests from additional specialties.
Monthly Advance Funding Option – Dental
CareFirst is offering temporary advanced funding for certain dental practices in need of additional assistance. If you are interested, complete the Accelerated Payment Request form by June 1.
In addition to financial assistance offered by CareFirst, there are a variety of federal and state economic assistance programs available to providers of small and independent practices facing financial shortfalls due to COVID-19. These resources include federal programs targeted towards small, medium and large businesses, as well as provider-specific resources to maintain cash flow and availability of healthcare resources.
Provider Assistance
Through the CARES Act and FFCRA, relief for hospitals and providers is being implemented by federal agencies through direct payments, grants and other mechanisms. Funding, eligibility and application details are outlined for each relief program below.
Business Assistance
Federal and state business assistance programs can provide low-interest loans, grants and tax relief for a provider practice if certain conditions are met. Please refer to the Small Business Owner's Guide for additional information and FAQs on the small business programs outlined below or contact your local Small Business Development Center. For Maryland county-specific grant programs, please see Maryland’s COVID-19 business support website.
Program Information
Issued by the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) provides working capital loans and loan advances for payroll and operating expenses for businesses impacted by COVID-19.
NOTE: As of June 15, this program is available to both agricultural businesses and all other small businesses.
Funding Details
The EIDL provides low interest loans of up to $2 million with principal and interest deferment at the Administrator’s discretion.
In applying for the EIDL, small businesses can apply for an emergency advance of up to $10,000. These advances do not need to be repaid and will be available within 3 days of applying. Advances can be used on payroll, sick leave, production costs, or other business obligations (e.g., debts, rents, and mortgage payments).
Can be combined with a Paycheck Protection Loan as long as they don’t cover the same expenses.
Eligibility
Any business with 500 or fewer employees is eligible to apply.Agricultural businesses under 500 employees are also eligible. Includes those engaged in the production of food and fiber, ranching, and raising of livestock, aquaculture, and all other farming and agricultural related industries.
Business must have 500 or fewer employees to apply.
Timeline
Subject to funding availability
Application Process
Apply here.
Additional Information
Program Information
Provides quick turnaround loans to overcome an immediate loss of revenue for businesses that have an established business relationship with a Small Business Administration (SBA) lender.
Funding Details
Loans with quick application times of up to $25,000. Provides cash flow for businesses waiting on a decision and disbursement of an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).
Loan will be repaid with proceeds from the EIDL.
Eligibility
Must be a small business operating for profit.
Must have been an operating business as of March 13, 2020 and be adversely impacted by COVID-19.
Must also have an established banking relationship with an SBA Express Lender.
Timeline
Must apply through March 13, 2021.
Application Process
Contact your local Small Business Development Center or SBA Express Loan Lender for more information on how to apply.
Required documentation will include an IRS tax transcript, documentation providing an existing financial relationship between the business and the lender and a borrower information form.
Additional Information
Program Information
Provides immediate relief to small businesses with non-disaster SBA loans, including 7(a), 504, and microloans.
Funding Details
The SBA will automatically pay the principal, interest, and fees of any current or new 7(a), 504, or microloans issued by the SBA. This relief is not applicable to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan.
See SBA’s websites on 7(a), 504, and microloans for more information on these loan programs.
If a business has an existing disaster loan in “regular servicing” status on March 1, 2020, the SBA will provide automatic deferments through December 31, 2020.
Eligibility
Small businesses with new or existing 7(a), 504, and microloans.
Timeline
New loans must be issued prior to September 27, 2020 to be eligible for debt relief.
Application Process
Use the Lender Match Tool to find a lender near you to begin the application.
For more information to guide you through the process, contact your local Small Business Development Center.
Additional Information
Program Information
Encourages employers who are not able to provide services due to COVID-19 to keep employees on their payroll by providing payroll tax credits per employee.
Funding Details
The tax credit covers 50% of the qualified wages each employee is paid. The maximum amount of wages taken into account is $10,000, so employers will receive a maximum of $5,000 per employee.
Eligibility
Any business that either:
- Fully or partially suspends operations in 2020 due to COVID-19, or
- Experiences a significant decline in gross receipts during the calendar quarter (i.e., 50% less compared to same quarter in 2019).
Government employees are not eligible for this credit.
Self-employed individuals are not eligible for this credit for their self-employment earnings.
Timeline
Applies to wages paid between March 12, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
Application Process
- Report total qualified leave wages for each quarter on the federal employment tax return, typically form 941.
- Employers may retain federal employment taxes to provide qualified leave wages to their employees. If the taxes set aside are not sufficient, request a credit advance by completing Form 7200.
- If requesting an advance, fax a completed Form 7200 to the IRS at 855-248-0552.
Additional Information
Program Information
Employers can delay and defer estimated quarterly tax payments and employer payroll taxes.
Eligibility
Not applicable if the employer has had indebtedness forgiven under the Paycheck Protection Program.
However, if the employer has received a Paycheck Protection Program loan, but it has not yet been forgiven, the employer may defer taxes until the lender issues a decision to forgive the loan.
Timeline
Applies to wages between March 27, 2020 and December 31, 2020.
Deferred payroll taxes are due in two installments: 50% by December 31, 2021, and 50% by December 31, 2022.
Additional Information
Program Information
$3 million fund established to help Baltimore County’s small businesses harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Goal of the program is to provide reimbursable funding for capital expenditures, furniture, fixtures, equipment and cleaning-disinfecting services necessary to operate a business safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Administered by the Department of Economic and Workforce Development.
Funding Details
Grant awards up to $10,000 to approximately 300 Baltimore County-based small businesses.
Funds may only be used for expenses already incurred for capital expenditures, furniture, fixtures, equipment and cleaning-disinfecting services necessary to operate a business safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funds may not be used for any personal expenses, lease or rent payments, payroll, or other operating expenses
Eligibility
For-profit business impacted by COVID-19 with at least two non-owner employees
Employs no more than 25 full-time employees (no limit on the number of part-time employees)
Must demonstrate the business has substantially curtailed or ceased operations since the Maryland Stay-at-Home Order on March 30, 2020.
In operation prior to January 1, 2020
Timeline
Application opens Wednesday, July 15 at 9am.
Application Process
See here for application link.
Additional Information
Program Information
Set up by the Federal Reserve Bank, loan program that supports lending to small and medium-sized businesses.
For for-profit businesses, program will operate through three facilities with increasing maximum loan amounts: Main Street New Loan Facility (MSNLF), Main Street Priority Loan Facility (MSPLF), and Main Street Expanded Loan Facility (MSELF).
NOTE: On July 17, the Federal Reserve Board extended the Main Street Lending Program to nonprofit organizations, including education institutions, hospitals and social service organizations.
For nonprofit businesses, the program will operate through two facilities, the Nonprofit Organization New Loan Facility (NONLF) and the Nonprofit Organization Expanded Loan Facility (NOELF)
Funding Details
Please see the table here for a summary of the differences between the three for-profit loan facilities. The term sheets for the Main Street New Loan, Priority Loan, and Expanded Loan provide additional details. Common requirements include:- 5-year term
- Principal repayments deferred for 2 years and interest payments deferred for 1 year
- Minimum loan sizes of $250,000 for New Loans and Priority Loans, and $10 million for Expanded Loans
Eligibility
For-profit U.S. business with either 15,000 or less employees or 2019 revenues of $5 billion or less.
Please see the table here for a summary of the differences between the two nonprofit loan facilities. The term sheets for the Main Street Nonprofit New Loan and Expanded Loan provide additional details. Requirements are similar to the for-profit facilities.
Businesses that have received a Paycheck Protection Program loan are still eligible for this program.
Timeline
Program is open until September 30, 2020.
Application Process
Contact an eligible lender, as described in the Main Street Lending Program term sheets. See the listing of registered lenders in each state.
Additional Information
Contact an eligible lender, as described in the Main Street Lending Program term sheets.
Program Information
$14 million fund established to help reimburse Montgomery County businesses and nonprofits for expenses incurred to comply with State and County reopening requirements.
Funding Details
Grant awards up to $5,000.
Funds may be used for PPE, materials to create barriers, contactless payment systems, cleaning supplies, signage, outdoor furniture, disposable food containers/utensils, and upgrades to HVAC systems.
Eligibility
A business or non-profit organization (to include sole proprietors and independent contractors) that:
- Has its physical location(s) only in the County, or its County-based locations account for more than 50% of the business’s total number of employees or 50% of the business’s gross sales
- Employs 100 or less FTE employees
- Has not received financial assistance from the County for reopening expenses
- Has incurred eligible reopening reimbursable expenditures between March 16, 2020 and 30 days following the date when the County starts Phase 3
Timeline
Application opened Wednesday, July 29
Applications will be accepted until funding is exhausted.
Application Process
See here for application link.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling random lottery system. If an application is selected for review, the applicant will receive an email notification to upload required documentation to a secure server.
Additional Information
Program Information
$70 million economic recovery fund for small businesses and nonprofit organizations whose normal operations were disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Funding Details
Businesses may receive up to 3 times their average monthly eligible expenses up to a maximum of $10,000.
Half of the program funds will be distributed to businesses operating in low-income and economically disadvantaged communities, including ensuring there is adequate representation of minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
Half of the program funds will be distributed to businesses operating in low-income and economically disadvantaged communities, including ensuring there is adequate representation of minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
Funds may be used for:
- Payroll support, including leave and costs related to the continuation of group healthcare benefits during those periods of leave
- Employee salaries
- Mortgage payments, rent and utilities
- Principal and interest payments for business loans incurred before or during the emergency
- PPE, cleaning and disinfecting materials and other working capital needed to address COVID-19 response
Eligibility
A business or non-profit organization (to include sole proprietors and independent contractors) that:
- Principal place of business is Virginia
- Employs 25 or fewer employees
- Gross revenue of less than $1.5 million in the last FY
- Operating prior to March 12, 2020
- Currently in good standing with the Virginia State Corporation Commission
The business must also fall within one of the following categories:
- Restaurant and beverage services
- Non-essential brick and mortar
- Retail fitness and exercise facilities
- Personal care and personal grooming
- Entertainment and public amusement
- Private campgrounds and overnight summer camps
Timeline
Application opened Monday, August 10
Application Process
See here for application link.
Grants will be awarded to approximately 7,000 applicants.
Additional Information