On October 5, 2020, the Department of Health & Human Services announced that healthcare providers will be able to apply for a Phase 3 General Distribution allocation from the Provider Relief Fund. This allocation is available to providers who were ineligible from applying for earlier payments as well as providers who have already received Provider Relief Fund payments. HHS also expanded the eligible group of behavioral health providers, who are confronting increased mental health and substance use issues.
Because providers continue to struggle financially from COVID-related issues, the new distribution will include an additional two percent of annual revenue plus an added payment to compensate for revenue losses and added Coronavirus-related expenses.
Providers who began practicing between January and March of this year are now eligible to apply, and seem to be the first to be compensated.
The application window is from October 5 through November 6, 2020 and HHS is urging everyone to apply early.