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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar has extended the public health emergency (PHE) due to COVID-19 effective January 21. The PHE is issued in 90-day increments and is slated to expire in April 2021.
The PHE extension means:
- Section 1135 National, Blanket Waiver remains in place. This waiver includes the telehealth and staffing waivers.
- Section 1812(f) Waiver also remains in place. This covers the waiver of the 3-Day Stay requirement and the waiver of the Spell of Illness.
- Because of the CARES Act statutory link to the PHE, the Medicaid increased FMAP continues until the end of the quarter in which the PHE ends. Therefore, the increased FMAP will flow to the states until June 2021. More information is available here.