(HealthDay News) — The COVID-19 emergency measures declared by the White House at the start of the pandemic will end in May.
President Joe Biden informed Congress of the plan on January 30, as part of a statement opposing House Republicans’ plan to immediately end the protections.
“An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors’ offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans,” the Office of Management and Budget explained in the statement.
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Instead, the Biden administration plans to extend both protections until May 11. After that, COVID-19 will be treated as an endemic threat managed by more typical public health authorities.
Some of the expected changes have already begun, as most designated federal COVID-19 relief money has been spent, and emergency measures that allowed more Americans to have insurance have ended, the Associated Press reported.
In addition, lawmakers have not approved the Biden administration’s request for billions of dollars to extend COVID-19 testing and vaccine coverage. Meanwhile, a spending package passed last year eliminated a rule that prevented states from discontinuing COVID-19-era Medicaid coverage. That coverage will end on April 1.
Furthermore, the federal government will no longer have control over vaccines and treatments, which should increase prices. Pfizer has already said it will charge up to $130 per dose of its vaccines, the AP reported.
