From the price of tests to the availability of vaccines.
After three long and traumatic years, the government’s Covid-19 public health emergency officially expires on Thursday, and despite some uncertainties about the future of the virus, public health officials are already hailing it as a historic milestone.
“This pandemic has been a defining moment in our history, one that has tested our resilience, our adaptability, and our compassion,” infectious disease epidemiologist Syra Madad tells Katie Couric Media. “We must maintain what we’ve built for pandemic response, turn lessons learned into actions applied, and continuously work on preventing and preparing for the next outbreak.”
But the end of this declaration also has implications for vital resources, such as testing — and, of course, Covid-19 is far from over. Though it’s nowhere near past levels, more than 1,000 people in the United States died from the virus from April 20 to April 26, according to the CDC, and related maladies (like long Covid and chronic conditions associated with the illness) are still a factor for many Americans.
Here’s a breakdown of what will (and won’t) change moving forward.
What does the end of the health emergency mean for Covid-19 testing?
While tests approved by the Food and Drug Administration will remain in plentiful supply, in many cases they’ll no longer be available for free.
After May 11, older Americans on traditional Medicare will no longer be able to receive rapid over-the-counter Covid-19 tests at no cost. As for those on private insurance, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging insurers to voluntarily cover at-home tests, but this will no longer be a guarantee.
While most uninsured people were already paying full price, the temporary Medicare Part B coverage option that was adopted by more than a dozen states will stop providing access to free Covid testing services, including ones that provide rapid results.
What does the end of the health emergency mean for vaccines and treatments?
Luckily, vaccines and treatments, such as Paxlovid, will “generally not be affected,” according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The government still has a stockpile of Covid-19 vaccines, meaning those shots will remain free to everyone, regardless of your insurance coverage. If and when supplies run dry, vaccine providers could start charging patients for any amount not covered by their health plan, according to the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation.
What’s more, the FDA can continue issuing emergency use authorizations for any new vaccines or treatments that might be developed to fight future variants. But the end of public health declaration also means that there will no longer be vaccination requirements for international travelers entering the United States, which could lead to the rise of more contagious variants, like Arcturus.
Will telehealth be affected?
Some pandemic-era flexibilities associated with providing care via telemedicine will remain in place. For instance, patients will still be able to virtually obtain prescriptions for various controlled substances, like Adderall for ADHD. Though this was set to expire on May 11 along with the public health emergency, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced last week it was extending this flexibility to November 2024.
In terms of what will change, some waivers tied to the emergency declaration that allowed healthcare providers to continue to practice across state lines could lapse. Also expiring is a federal waiver of privacy and security rules for various telehealth technology, meaning apps like FaceTime and Skype might no longer be an option for providers.
What will happen to Covid-19 tracking?
The CDC will no longer be tracking or reporting daily Covid-19 infections at a community level. Instead, the agency will rely on the National Vital Statistics System, which might not provide the most up-to-date information in case of an outbreak in your area. But health officials will continue to monitor Covid-19 hospitalizations and deaths.
Despite this decision to scale back, the CDC says that the coronavirus still remains a priority: “We will still be able to tell that it’s snowing, even though we’re no longer counting every snowflake,” Nirav Shah, the CDC’s principal deputy director, told reporters.
