July 19, 2021, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officially extended the National Public Health Emergency (PHE) which was set to expire. The declaration will extend the availability of waivers, including the Hospitals Without Walls initiative, and funding that are available under the Public Health Emergency. Under federal law, an HHS-declared PHE and any subsequent extension may only last for 90-day increments. The new declaration will expire in October 2021.

For more information, review the PHE declaration here: https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/COVID-19July2021.aspx

This post was published July 20, 2021.