Alabama healthcare providers including physicians and hospitals will get $449.5 million through the first round of federal aid to help the institutions defray coronavirus-related costs.

The money is through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was recently passed by Congress and signed into law by President Donald Trump.

It is part of a $30 billion initial federal effort in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, $100 billion of funding will be used to support healthcare-related expenses or lost revenue attributable to coronavirus and to ensure Americans can get testing and treatment they need without surprise billing from a provider, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The $449.5 million to Alabama is expected to be delivered to providers as early as today. It’s unclear how exactly how much each provider in the state will get.

The money will be allotted based on a facility’s share of the 2019 Medicare fee-for-serve (FFS) reimbursements. According to HHS, the money represents direct payments – not loans – to the healthcare providers, and will not need to be repaid.

HHS and the Trump Administration are working on additional targeted distributions to providers that will focus on areas impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak, rural providers and providers of services with lower Medicare FFS reimbursement, or those who predominately serve Medicare populations. The supplemental funding will also be used to reimburse providers for COVID-19 care for uninsured Americans.

Within 30 days of receiving payment, providers will have to sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the terms of conditions of payment. A portal for signing the attestation will be open during the week of April 13 and will be accessible at hhs.gov/providerrelief.