Department of Health and Human Services Extends Public Health Emergency

HHS extends the Public Health Emergency (PHE)

When COVID began, the Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency. That declaration was set to expire on January 21, 2021. It has now been extended, again. It was last extended in October. More than likely the extension is good for another 90 days (March, 2021) at which time it will be reviewed and possibly renewed again. The declaration (and its extension) is important because it enabled other things to follow such as covering telehealth for PT, OT, and SLP by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS). It remains to be seen if that change will, at some point, change from temporary to permanent but for now telehealth coverage continues by Medicare.

The bottom line

Things continue to change and evolve, stay tuned for more information has it becomes available.