On October 13, 2022, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary, Xavier Becerra extended the COVID-19 pandemic’s status as a public health emergency (PHE) for another 90 days, thereby preserving measures like high payments to hospitals and expanded Medicaid.
At the same time, advocates and states are preparing for Medicaid and the public health emergency’s unwinding. The Department of Health and Human Services has promised to give states a 60 day notice on when the PHE will indeed end. With the PHE’s recent extension till mid January 2023, we would expect to receive an announcement by mid November if the PHE is not going to be renewed again.
For more information, see the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released set of Unwinding Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) related to Medicaid and the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). These FAQs answer questions CMS has received regarding guidance to support state efforts to unwind the continuous enrollment requirement and other Medicaid and CHIP temporary measures after the PHE ends.
