Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Pandemic Emergency Will End May 11; Expect To Pay More For Covid Costs
Politico: Biden To End Covid Health Emergency Declarations In May
The Biden administration will end the Covid-19 national and public health emergencies on May 11, the White House said Monday in a major step meant to signal that the crisis era of the pandemic is over. The move would restructure the federal government’s coronavirus response and unwind a sprawling set of flexibilities put in place nearly three years ago that paved the way for free Covid treatments and tests. The White House disclosed its plan in response to two House Republican measures aimed at immediately ending the emergencies, calling those proposals “a grave disservice to the American people.” (Cancryn, 1/30)
NPR: COVID Emergency Declarations Will End In May, The White House Says
The plan from the White House came in a statement opposing two House bills that would end the emergency declarations sooner. "An abrupt end to the emergency declarations would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system — for states, for hospitals and doctors' offices, and, most importantly, for tens of millions of Americans," the statement says, calling the bills a "grave disservice to the American people." (Farrington, 1/30)
AP: President Biden To End COVID-19 Emergencies On May 11
The costs of COVID-19 vaccines are also expected to skyrocket once the government stops buying them, with Pfizer saying it will charge as much as $130 per dose. Only 15% of Americans have received the recommended, updated booster that has been offered since last fall. ... Free at-home COVID tests will also come to an end. And hospitals will not get extra payments for treating COVID patients. (Miller and Seitz, 1/31)
The Washington Post: Biden To End Covid National Emergencies In May
Among the most notable effects of ending the state of emergency, according to the White House, would be the termination of Title 42, a public health measure that has limited the inflow of migrants at the border. The Biden administration has attempted to end Title 42, but that action has been held up in court. An administration official said because Title 42 is a public health order, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined there would no longer be a need for the measure once the coronavirus no longer presented a public health emergency. But some House Republicans lambasted the White House statement on Monday, arguing that Title 42 is not tied to the public health emergency and exists at the discretion of the president. Many in the GOP are in favor of keeping the Title 42 restrictions, saying that health concerns provide reasonable grounds for limiting immigration. (Pager and Sun, 1/30)
Reuters: U.S. To End COVID-19 Emergency Declarations On May 11
The COVID-19 national emergency and public health emergency (PHE) were put in place in 2020 by then-President Donald Trump. Biden has repeatedly extended the measures, which allow millions of Americans to receive free tests, vaccines and treatments. ... OMB said in a separate statement that Biden would veto a proposed bill in the U.S. Congress that would eliminate COVID-19 vaccine mandates for health care providers working on certain federal programs. (1/30)
The Hill: Here Are 3 Things The End Of The COVID Public Health Emergency Could Undo
Here are three things that could be undone with the lifting of the national and public health emergencies. (Sforza, 1/30)
In related news —
San Francisco Chronicle: White House Blames Trump Administration For Laxity Leading To Pandemic Fraud
The White House says the Trump administration was responsible for extensive pandemic aid fraud outlined in a government watchdog report released Monday The report alleges that the U.S. government awarded $5.4 billion in pandemic loans and assistance to people with "questionable" Social Security numbers. (Vaziri and Beamish, 1/30)
