On July 23, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar announced the extension of the public health emergency designation (previously set to expire on July 25) for COVID-19 for an additional 90 days.
This move extends funding and regulatory relief for hospitals and providers tied to the emergency, previously renewed in April. The announcement comes after significant pressure from industry stakeholders.
Policies tied to the public health emergency include 20 percent Medicare inpatient add-on payment for COVID-19 patients, increased federal Medicaid matching funds for states, prohibition of cost-sharing requirements for medically necessary COVID-19 tests, and Section 1135 waivers. It also includes relaxed telehealth billing requirements (which industry stakeholders are lobbying Congress to make permanent), and adjustments to the Medicare Shared Savings Program for accountable care organizations (reducing the amount of shared losses ACOs are responsible to pay back).