In January 2020, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency (PHE) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three years later, the Secretary announced that the PHE would be allowed to expire on May 11, 2023. Although the announcement was expected, concerns remain among healthcare providers.

Purpose of the PHE

When the Secretary declares a PHE, he or she has broad authority to suspend or revise regulations, enter into contracts, and detail HHS employees to help meet the emergency. The COVID-19 PHE suspended various training requirements, suspended personal visit requirements for physicians and other providers, allowed telehealth visits, and made vaccines and treatments widely available. As you may imagine, with three years of fewer regulatory requirements and streamlined processes, healthcare providers aren’t looking forward to going back to a more heavily regulated system. Read more >