The US government will extend the Covid-19 public-health emergency past mid-July, continuing pandemic-era policies as the nearly 2 1/2-year outbreak drags on, Bloomberg reports.
The Department of Health and Human Services has repeatedly renewed the public-health emergency since implementing it in January 2020. The declaration allows the US to grant emergency authorizations of drugs, vaccines and other medical countermeasures, as well as administer those products to millions of people at no out-of-pocket cost. It’s also enabled millions of Americans to get health coverage through Medicaid, among other benefits.
But the end of the PHE means telehealth waivers granted under the public health emergency – which have allowed for greater use and innovation – will expire 151 days later.
Telehealth providers are looking to Congress for a more permanent solution to continue the flexibilities allowed under the pandemic. Read more.
