Nursing homes are subject to an incentive-based pay system for the last four months of 2020 when it comes to tapping into the most recently released $2 billion in COVID-19 relief funding, the Department of Health and Human Services said Sept. 3.

Payments are being based on facility performance regarding infection and mortality rates as a means to ensuring better outcomes, federal officials said.

This “will help support quality care, slow the spread of the virus and save lives,” HHS Secretary Alex Azar said. 

Community-level federal data based on where the facility is will be used to quantify the key performance measures. 

For those who qualify, the funding may be paid for any or all of four periods: September, October, November and December. The government will make $500 million available each month.