In 2022, the Division of Global Health Protection (DGHP) collaborated with countries to respond to continued challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other health threats. On September 20, 2022, the Ugandan Ministry of Health (MOH) confirmed an outbreak of Ebola (Sudan virus) in the country. Below are items of high interest that affect many providers. Vaccines: People with Medicare coverage will continue to have access to COVID-19 vaccinations without cost sharing after the end of the PHE. We work with public health experts across CDC and around the world to help countries strengthen their public health infrastructure to protect the . "The Public Health Emergency declaration continues to provide us with tools and authorities needed to respond to the highly transmissible COVID-19 subvariants that are currently circulating. These waivers allow CRNAs to function to the fullest extent of their licensure when this is occurring consistent with a state or pandemic or emergency plan. Washington-based correspondent covering U.S. healthcare and pharmaceutical policy with a focus on the Department of Health and Human Services and the agencies it oversees such as the Food and Drug Administration, previously based in Iraq and Egypt. Contact reimbursement@asha.org for additional information. via the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services: Based on current COVID-19 trends, the Department of Health and Human Services is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 (PHE), declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023.Thanks to the Administration's whole-of-government approach to combatting the virus . Some 20 million people have enrolled in Medicaid since the start of the pandemic, according to theKaiser Family Foundation, an increase of 30% over typical numbers. Existing EUAs for COVID-19 products will remain in effect under Section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and the agency may continue to issue new EUAs going forward when criteria for issuance are met. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 228,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology support personnel; and students. In a November 2022open letter to Congress, the National Association of Medicaid Directors said the "uncertainty" about the order is "no longer tenable.". "Extending the PHE is critical to ensure states and health care providers, including long-term care providers, have the flexibilities and resources necessary to respond to this ever-evolving pandemic. A further 90-day extension is expected along with an extension of the HIPAA flexibilities regarding the good faith provision of telehealth services. On Monday, Guthrie pressed for the order to be rescinded immediately. The Department of Health and Human Services. With each PHE extension, numerous flexibilities and waivers remain in effect, including Medicare telehealth coverage of audiology and speech-language pathology services and relaxed Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements. It is important to note that the Administrations continued response to COVID-19 is not fully dependent on the COVID-19 PHE, and there are significant flexibilities and actions that will not be affected as we transition from the current phase of our response. Still, others will expire. Dan is a writer on CNET's How-To team. 117-328), extends the authority for audiologists and speech-language pathologists to provide telehealth services to Medicare beneficiaries and continues waivers of geographic and originating site restrictions through December 31, 2024. These flexibilities have included the elimination of geographic and site of service restrictions, payment for audio-only telehealth visits, and more. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz. PHE is short for public health emergency. That public health emergency determination allows the HHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other government agencies to access funding and increase staffing "to prevent, prepare for, or respond to an infectious disease emergency.". articles a month for anyone to read, even non-subscribers! In early February, the Office of Emergency Medical Services pushed the implementation deadline back by one year (with AR 2-270), giving ambulance services without waivers until Feb. 10, 2024, to comply. Pursuant to authority granted under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) that broadens the waiver authority under section 1135 of Biden administration officials had said in November that the possibility of a winter surge in COVID cases and the need for more time to transition to a private market for the sale of tests, vaccines and treatments were two factors that contributed to the decision not to end the emergency status in January. US President Joe Biden told Congress on Monday that he intends to end the current public health emergency for COVID-19 on May 11, close to three years after it was first declared. But many of the Medicaid waivers and flexibilities, including those that support home and community-based services, are available for states to continue beyond the PHE, if they choose to do so. Flexibility for Medicare Telehealth Services Eligible Practitioners. During the COVID-19 PHE, CMS has used a combination of emergency authority waivers, regulations, and sub-regulatory guidance to ensure and expand access to care and to give health care providers the flexibilities needed to help keep people safe. Scientists at Columbia University, in a study published in December, found that the BQ and XBB families of omicron subvariants pose the biggest threat to the Covid vaccines and could cause a surge of breakthrough infections. Based on current COVID-19 trends, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, declared under Section 319 of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act, to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023. The order, which has now been renewed 13 timessince January 2020, providescontinued federal fundingfor free vaccines, testing and treatment, and maintains relaxed requirements for Medicaid and Medicare coverage. It also waives certain requirements for Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and relaxes restrictions on telemedicine. The ending of the COVID-19 PHE will not affect the FDAs ability to authorize various products, including tests, treatments, or vaccines for emergency use. In August, HHS told local and state health officials to start preparing for an end to the emergency in the near future. Emergency medical service providers have until next February to be trained in the treatment and transport of police dogs injured in the line of duty. Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases. Receive the latest updates from the Secretary, Blogs, and News Releases. Toll Free Call Center: 1-877-696-6775, Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other news materials are available at, Content created by Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA), U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Letter to U.S. Governors from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on renewing COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), Statement from HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra on the Bipartisan Funding Bill, Readout: Secretary Becerra and Commissioner Califf Speak with Pediatric Medicine Manufacturers Amid Rise of COVID-19, RSV, and Flu This Winter, Driving Long COVID Innovation with Health+ Human-Centered Design, U.S. Summary of the 75th World Health Assembly, Working Day or Night, NDMS Teams Deploy to Support Healthcare Facilities and Save Lives in Communities Overwhelmed by COVID-19: We are NDMSThats What We do. Today marks the 60-day countdown for the current public health emergency declaration to expire. During the PHE, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and HHS adopted policies to allow DEA-registered practitioners to prescribe controlled substances to patients without an in-person interaction. Waivers of the requirement for three-day prior inpatient hospitalization for Medicare coverage of a skilled nursing facility stay; Waivers of the requirements that Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) limit the number of inpatient beds to 25 and general limitations on CAH lengths of stay to no longer than 96 hours on average; Waivers to allow acute care patients to be housed in other facilities, such as ambulatory surgery centers, inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, hotels, and dormitories. State Medicaid plans will continue to cover COVID vaccines and tests ordered by a physician, but treatments and at-home testing may come with an out-of-pocket expense. All nursing aide training emergency waivers for states and facilities will end at the end of the PHE, which is expected on May 11, 2023. The OEMS also made changes to the refresher training, course instructor and resource requirements. Home Certain Medicare and Medicaid waivers and broad flexibilities for health care providers are no longer necessary and will end. FDAs EUAs for COVID-19 products (including tests, vaccines, and treatments) will not be affected. Emergency medical personnel would be advised to not transport injured K9s, however, if providing such transport would inhibit their ability to provide emergency medical attention or transport to a person requiring services. These subvariants are also resistant to all of the authorized antibody treatments used to protect people with weak immune systems. For specific details about how health care providers and suppliers should prepare for the end of the COVID-19 PHE, CMS has developed a series of provider-specific fact sheets. RENEWAL OF DETERMINATION THAT A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY EXISTS. This fact sheet will help you know what to expect at the end of the PHE so that you can continue to feel confident in how you will receive your health care. When the declaration lapses, responsibility for COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatment will technically shift to individuals and their health insurance companies. Today marks the end of California's COVID-19 State of Emergency. Access to expanded methadone take-home doses for opioid use disorder treatment will not be affected. After the ARPA coverage requirements expire, Medicaid and CHIP coverage of COVID-19 treatments and testing may vary by state. HHS is currently reviewing whether to continue to provide this coverage going forward. Persimmon warned on Wednesday Britain's slowing housing market would hit annual profits and home-building targets as it slashed its dividend by 75%, sending its shares sharply lower. In response to the challenges faced by hospitals because of COVID-19, CMS implemented the Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative, a flexibility to allow hospitals to expand their capacity to provide inpatient care in an individuals home. State requirements for approved state plan amendments vary as outlined in CMS Medicaid & CHIP Telehealth Toolkit. "An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system for states, for hospitals and doctors' offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans," the White House said in a statement, NPR reported. Please enable it in order to use the full functionality of our website. This flexibility was available prior to the COVID-19 PHE and will continue to be available after the COVID-19 PHE ends. Under federal law, Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 vaccinations, testing, and treatment for this group will end when the PHE ends. 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