- The Biden administration notified governors that the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) will expire on May 11. During a call, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra said the federal government expects up to 15 million people could lose Medicaid coverage. He also outlined how countermeasures will transition from the government to the private market and emphasized that key allowances in areas like telehealth will continue past the emergency. Administration officials said they would look to permanently codify some of the flexibility around telehealth that the pandemic allowed, especially as it pertains to substance use disorder and the prescribing of drugs such as methadone and buprenorphine without in-person doctors’ appointments, through the regulatory rule-making process. (Press release here; Articles here and here)
February 10, 2023
Public Health/Prevention