COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Set To End May 11
On Jan. 30, “the Biden administration announced”
(PDF) that “the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE), first issued in March 2020, will end on May 11.” The PHE “waived a host of restrictions on the use of telehealth to help patients receive services, including mental health services, without leaving
their homes,” but “with the end of the emergency, those waivers will be lifted, and several pre-pandemic regulations will be back in effect.” However, “some states and health care plans...may continue certain flexibilities and coverage; commercial and
Medicaid payers may vary widely in their telehealth policies.” Members of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) “are urged to contact the APA Practice Management Helpline, their APA district branch, state medical board, or other trusted resource
for information about the status of coverage for their patients.” Click here (PDF)
to see a comparison of telehealth provisions during and after the PHE.