With the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ending soon, affected healthcare providers, including home health agencies with deemed status, will need to make adjustments as they prepare to restore normal operations.

Waivers and Flexibilities Ending

The White House announced on January 30, 2023, that the COVID-19 national emergency and PHE will end May 11, 2023.

Certain federal waivers and flexibilities put in place during the pandemic by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will end that date as well. Some CMS waivers and flexibilities are set to expire at later dates.

State and local COVID-19 waivers for healthcare providers may also expire.

Planning Ahead

Throughout the COVID-19 PHE, CMS has used a combination of emergency authority waivers, regulations, and sub-regulatory guidance to support providers. Many organizations adopted portions of the CMS waivers to modify patient care processes and reduce administrative burdens.

As May 11 approaches, ACHC encourages organizations to begin transitioning any altered operations to standard operations.

ACHC also recommends that providers continue monitoring state and local declarations as well as guidance from CMS regarding waivers and flexibilities.

Updated Guidance Available

CMS recently updated its guidance to help providers prepare for the end of the COVID-19 PHE. Click below to download CMS information specific to home health agencies.

For additional information, a fact sheet outlining the national PHE transition roadmap is available to access from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees CMS.

ACHC is your partner in accreditation. For more information on Home Health Accreditation, email [email protected] or call (855) 937-2242, ext. 457.