**Unveiling the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency: Navigating Change and Redefining Protections**
As the COVID-19 pandemic has gradually subsided, so too will the federal public health emergency that has guided our response for over three years. On May 11, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will officially declare the emergency lifted. However, this does not signify the complete end of our fight against the virus, as many challenges and adjustments lie ahead.
What’s Changed: A Shift in Perspectives and Policies
Over a month ago, President Biden repealed a national COVID emergency declared by former President Trump. This came just days after the World Health Organization declared the global COVID health emergency over. These actions signal a growing belief that COVID-19 is no longer an immediate crisis.
Yet, the data tell a different story. Over 1,000 Americans continue to die from COVID-related illnesses each week, and countless more suffer from lingering long-term effects. Consequently, disability advocates argue that the removal of protections and access to essential resources during the public health emergency is premature and potentially dangerous.
Changes in Effects: What Individuals Will Notice
The expiration of the public health emergency will bring about tangible changes in access to testing, treatments, and coverage.
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Testing: COVID tests that were previously available for free through pharmacies will now incur costs. Medicare beneficiaries will pay for at-home tests, while Medicaid recipients must use out-of-pocket funds for such tests unless ordered by a healthcare provider. Private insurance plans may also require payment for testing.
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Treatments: Therapeutics like monoclonal antibodies, once fully covered by Medicare and Medicaid, will now be subjected to costs even for those with these insurance plans.
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Coverage: While vaccines will remain free for those with health insurance, access to COVID-related care for individuals without insurance was terminated at the end of 2022 due to the depletion of federal funds.
Changes in Responsibilities: A Shift from Federal to Local Management
As the public health emergency ends, so does the federal government’s broad authority to manage the response to the pandemic. The task of monitoring and addressing the virus will now shift primarily to local and state agencies.
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Surveillance: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will cease monitoring COVID infections, leaving only hospitalizations as a tracked metric. The color-coded rating system indicating the severity of COVID-19 in each county will also be discontinued.
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Immigration:
Data sourced from: yahoo.com
