Senators Collins, King Announce Maine Health Care Providers Eligible to Apply for Additional COVID-19 Funding

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King announced that Maine health care providers—including behavioral health providers such as addiction counseling centers and mental health counselors—are eligible to begin applying for federal funding to support their efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The $20 billion in new funding, which was authorized by the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, is available for providers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic.  HHS has already issued over $100 billion in relief funding to providers through prior distributions.

Providers will have from October 5, 2020, through November 6, 2020, to apply for Phase 3 General Distribution funding through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).  For more information on how to apply, providers should visit: www.hhs.gov/providerrelief.

“Medical providers are the backbone of Maine’s health care system, providing primary and preventive care that is crucial to the wellbeing of individuals and families throughout our state,” said Senators Collins and King in a joint statement.  “We strongly encourage eligible Maine health care providers to apply as soon as possible for this additional funding, which will help them to continue safely caring for patients amid the COVID-19 outbreak.”

Qualifying health care providers include:

·         Providers who previously received, rejected or accepted a General Distribution Provider Relief Fund payment.  Providers that have already received payments of approximately 2% of annual revenue from patient care may submit more information to become eligible for an additional payment;

·         Behavioral Health providers, including those that previously received funding and new providers;

·         Dentists and independent practitioners;

·         Health care providers that began practicing January 1, 2020, through March 31, 2020. This includes Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, dentists, assisted living facilities and behavioral health providers.

Under this distribution, providers that have already received Provider Relief Fund payments will be eligible to apply for additional funding that considers financial losses and changes in operating expenses caused by the coronavirus.  Previous ineligible providers, such as those who began practicing in 2020, as well as an expanded group of behavioral health providers who confront increased mental health and substance use issues exacerbated by the pandemic, will also be eligible.

Through the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act, HHS allocated $175 billion in relief funds to hospitals and other health care providers.  As Maine continues to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitals and providers across the state have received more than $438 million in HHS relief funding.  In June, Senators Collins and King announced that safety net hospitals in Maine received more than $52 million to support their efforts to combat the pandemic.  

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