Public Health Emergency Declaration Extended

On January 14, 2022, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services announced the extension of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) status due to COVID-19. The declaration was first issued January 31, 2020, by former Secretary Alex M. Azar II. With this most recent extension, the PHE status has been renewed seven times.

The newest statement reads that that a PHE exists and has existed nationwide since January 27, 2020. The PHE allows CMS to allocate payments and rules and regulations in a more expedient fashion than in non-PHE times and allows for certain grants and waivers to stay in effect until the PHE is no longer recognized or authorized.

To read the statement, see here.