It’s my understanding that the COVID-19 National Emergency has been extended many times, most recently until July 15, 2022. Is there any indication that it will be extended again or that it will finally expire on July 15?
Relief provided by Disaster Relief Notices 2020-01 and 2021-01, and the Extension of Certain Timeframes for Employee Benefit Plans, Participants, and Beneficiaries Affected by the COVID-19 Outbreak is tied to the end of the National Emergency, which was last extended by President Biden on March 1, 2022. This declaration remains in effect for one year unless terminated sooner by the President or Congress. There has been no indication that it will end before March 2023 or that it will be extended again.
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) issued by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was last extended on April 16, 2022, for 90 days through July 15, 2022. HHS has announced that it will renew the PHE extension for another 90 days through mid-October, but it has not officially done so yet. We expect that HHS will formally extend the PHE for another 90 days soon. While the PHE is in effect, employer health plans are required to cover the cost of COVID-19 testing and related services without cost-sharing, but the PHE does not affect the extension of certain deadlines provided by the Notices.