AHCA/NCAL Asks HHS to Extend COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Beyond January 11 – News

The COVID-19 public health emergency should extend past Jan. 11, “providing needed long-term care through Medicaid,” said president of the American Healthcare Association/National Center for Assisted Living. CEO and Mark Parkinson wrote a letter Wednesday to Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra.

AHCA/NCAL will also provide more funding to help states prepare to redetermine Medicaid eligibility for millions of beneficiaries when PHE ends, which states may not be able to prepare for. Asked for a lot of time. According to AHCA/NCAL, citing information from Georgetown University, 22 states do not have a PHE rollback plan, and a further 10 states do not know what will be included when the plan is developed. There is a “rough” presentation.

Parkinson told Becerra that millions of Medicaid beneficiaries receive long-term services and support in their homes, assisted living areas and other communities through the Medicaid Waiver Program.

“I strongly encourage the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services within HHS to work with the state to develop strategies to ensure that the long-term care population is prioritized,” he wrote.

Parkinson told Becerra that COVID-19 remains a threat, especially for the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. “Variants of COVID-19 continue to emerge, with administrations and other public health experts repeatedly warning of a possible spike in cases this fall and winter. …as the holiday season ends. , especially during the historic labor crisis in long-term care brought on by the pandemic, we need to enable healthcare infrastructure to adapt quickly,” he said.

HHS has committed to giving states and other stakeholders 60 days’ notice of when their PHEs will expire.

The PHE related to COVID-19 has been extended 11 times since it started on January 31, 2020. Initiated by his former HHS Secretary, Alex Azar, in 2020 he has been renewed three times (April 21st, July 23rd and October 2nd). As of January 7, 2021. Becerra previously held three meetings in 2021 (April 15, July 19, October 15, 2021) and four in 2022 (January 14, April 12, July 15, 10, 2021). May 13th) Updated. .