Continuation of Public Health Emergency at Least through 2021

From Family Voices Washington D.C. Update 2.2.2021

As explained in a January 24, 2021, blog post from the Georgetown Center for Children and Families, Acting Health and Human Services Secretary Norris Cochran recently sent a letter to Governors to assure states that the current declaration of a Public Health Emergency (PHE) “will likely remain in place for the entirety of 2021,” and that HHS will provide 60 days’ notice when it decides to terminate the PHE or let it expire. This is significant because the PHE declaration is the basis for the temporary increase the federal matching rates for Medicaid and CHIP; the continuous Medicaid coverage (maintenance-of-effort) requirements; and other temporary authorities, including “Appendix K,” that give states flexibility in telehealth benefits and other Medicaid and Medicare services.

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