- The AHA stated that the PHE must continue past October to minimize disruption to the “increasingly fragile healthcare delivery system.”
- The public health emergency (PHE) is scheduled to end on October 13.
- If the PHE is renewed again in October, it would be the eleventh time the COVID-19 PHE will be renewed.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) urging them to renew the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) due to expire in October.
On July, the HHS renewed the PHE declaration for another 90 days going effective July 15, 2022. In the statement, the Secretary of the HHS, Xavier Becerra explained that the renewal was set as a result of the continued consequences of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and after consultation with public health officials, as necessary.
Learn more about this in our industry article: HHS renewed COVID-19 public health emergency for 90 days
In the letter, Richard J. Pollack, AHA´s President and CEO (Chief Executive Officer), indicated that the support the HHS has provided during the pandemic has been a key component to sort out the difficulties for healthcare providers.
“The actions taken by the Administration have proven essential in equipping our members with the tools and resources they need to manage continued COVID-19 surges, as well as provide efficient and effective care during this unprecedented environment of labor shortages and workforce burnout”, Pollack stated.
However, according to the AHA, ending the PHE prematurely would place the hospitals in an extremely challenging position. It would also directly affect their ability to care for patients and communities.
The AHA surveyed some of their hospital and health system members to ascertain whether the COVID-19 waivers continued to be essential. In response:
Read more: Hospital groups are pressing the HHS to expand the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
The association urges the HHS to continue the COVID-19 PHE set to expire in October and allow for significant stakeholder engagement to create a smooth transition out of the pandemic.
Stay tuned for this and more industry news through our September 2022 newsletter. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter and our Health Prime Blog for ongoing leading industry medical practice articles and policy updates.
