Wachler & Associates Health Law BlogPHE Extended: What It Means (or Doesn’t Mean) for Providers
On July 15th, 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) extended the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency by another 90 days. The Public Health Emergency has allowed HHS and various federal agencies to issue waivers of regulatory requirements to ensure that providers have greater flexibility with several issues, including reporting requirements and telehealth reimbursement as the Pandemic grew increasingly dangerous.
The Public Health Emergency has existed since January 27th of 2020. After the last extension of the Public Health Emergency in April of 2022, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra assured that there will also be a 60-day notice to providers nationwide when HHS decides to terminate the Public Health Emergency.
Although the Public Health Emergency has been extended, it is important to note that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) has already started to end some of the regulatory flexibilities implemented during the Public Health Emergency. We discussed the termination of some of these blanket waivers in a previous blog post. Providers who are relying on any of the regulatory waivers should verify whether the waivers remain in effect or have been ended prior to the end of the Public Health Emergency.
For over 35 years, Wachler & Associates has represented healthcare providers and suppliers nationwide in a variety of health law matters, and our attorneys can assist providers and suppliers in understanding the healthcare regulatory landscape. If you or your healthcare entity has any questions pertaining to healthcare compliance, please contact an experienced healthcare attorney at 248-544-0888 or wapc@wachler.com.