COVID-19 PHE Likely to be Extended Past July 2022
The US government will likely extend the COVID-19 PHE past mid-July. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has renewed the PHE every 90 days since its implementation in January 2020, with the latest extension in April 2022. This means the PHE expiration date is now July 15, 2022. The extension of the PHE allows for the flexibilities implemented by CMS, including telehealth services and other provisions related to the April 2020 Interim Final Rule.
Back in January, CMS formally announced that it will give 60 days’ notice before it ends the COVID PHE and its related regulatory flexibilities. Currently, CMS has not provided this notice. Therefore, the PHE is expected to be officially extended for another 90 days in July, with the new expiration date being mid-October 2022.
More than a dozen provider organizations, including the American Hospital Association (AHA) and American Medical Association (AMA) have lobbied for the continuation of the COVID-19 PHE designation. This comes as facilities and providers have seen uncertainly over case surges, while facing financial challenges for the past two years. In a letter to the HHS Secretary, these organizations urged continuation of the PHE until “it is clear that the global pandemic has receded and the capabilities authorized by the PHE are no longer necessary.”
