What Happens When COVID-19 Emergency Declarations End? Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Access

With more than two years having passed since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, questions are being raised about when to end the public health emergency declarations made by the federal government early on. This brief provides an overview of the major health-related COVID-19 federal emergency declarations that have been made, summarizes the flexibilities triggered by each, and identifies the implications for their ending, in the following areas: coverage, costs, and payment for COVID-19 testing, treatments, and vaccines; Medicaid coverage and federal match rates; telehealth; other Medicaid and CHIP flexibilities; other Medicare payment and coverage flexibilities; other private insurance coverage flexibilities; access to medical countermeasures (vaccines, tests, and treatments) through FDA emergency use authorization (EUA); and liability immunity to administer medical countermeasures.