May 09, 2023
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency declaration expanded telehealth services to patients covered by Medicare and Medicaid. Now, the PHE is set to expire on May 11. This termination does not affect commercial plans or state medicaid programs.
- The Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration will expire on May 11.
- Most Medicare telehealth flexibilities will remain intact until December 31, 2024. There are some flexibilities that will expire with the end of the PHE. For specifics on those flexibilities, check out the CCHP fact sheet.
- Most SC Medicaid telehealth flexibilities will remain intact for 1-year post-PHE. There are a very few flexibilities that will expire with the PHE. For details on which flexibilities will expire, check out the SC DHHS bulletin.
- Commercial insurance policies offered through private payers are not beholden to the PHE, so the May 11th end date will not affect these plans.
For more detailed information regarding these flexibilities and post-PHE landscape, please review:
o Center for Connected Health Policy (Medicare info)
o SC DHHS Medicaid Bulletins 22-005 and 23-008 – Updates on Telehealth Flexibilities Issued During the COVID-19 Pandemic