The Biden administration is expected to renew the Public Health Emergency (PHE) that currently expires in mid-July for another 90 days, out to mid-October.
As covered in a previous
The Valued Voice article, the Biden administration had indicated it would provide 60-day advance notice should it choose not to extend the public health emergency that currently expires July 16. While no official statement has confirmed an intent to extend it, the 60-day deadline came and went on May 16 without any notice from the administration. Additionally,
some news outlets are reporting that sources inside the administration have indicated it will be extended again in mid-July for another 90 days.
WHA is continuing to stress in its federal advocacy efforts the importance of permanently extending many of the flexibilities granted in current waivers for programs like
telehealth,
hospital at home and
critical access hospital flexibilities.
Federal Medicare telehealth policy currently has a 151-day glide path past the expiration of the PHE, giving Congress a larger cushion to enact a more permanent policy. However, no glide path exists for other flexibilities dependent upon the PHE, and WHA has been building awareness in Washington, D.C., on the need to extend the ability of hospitals to continue many of the advances in patient health care delivery made possible during COVID.
Contact WHA Vice President of Federal and State Relations
Jon Hoelter with questions.