The end of the emergency on May 11 signals a new phase of the government’s pandemic response.
Key Takeaways:
- The federal government will end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency on May 11, roughly one month after the current extension ends.
- The PHE designation currently provides additional payments and flexibilities to skilled nursing providers, including suspension of the 3-day stay requirement.
- Nursing home providers have advocated to continue the PHE as pandemic-related challenges linger.
On Monday, January 30, President Biden announced that the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency will officially expire on May 11. Skilled nursing providers have been bracing for this moment since the Biden administration signed its latest extension, through April 11, and signaled that it would be the last.
PHE continues to provide additional payments and flexibilities to skilled nursing providers, most notably suspending the 3-day stay requirement. These benefits will end on May 11, but other impacts are less clear.
Skilled nursing providers who are concerned about the end of PHE should take the following actions:
- Connect with your local industry associations to stay up to date on what special allowances will expire, when, and how exceptions might still be made.
- Share what you need with your state-level associations. While PHE expires at a federal level, we can expect heighted lobbying for state level support.
- Assess how the end of PHE will impact your organization and, assuming no exceptions or additional state funding, what functional areas you’ll need to prioritize. Polaris Group consultants can help talk through your concerns if you’re unsure where to begin.
Read the full coverage by McKnight’s Long-term Care News here.
