Ending of Federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19

In March 2020, the President declared a federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19. This declaration gave the federal government additional flexibility to ensure public access to tools and resources like COVID-19 tests, treatment, and vaccines. It also gave the healthcare system additional flexibility to respond to the pandemic. The federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 will end on May 11, 2023.

The ending of the federal Public Health Emergency does not mean that COVID-19 is gone. It is still important to stay up to date with your vaccines, to get tested if you have been exposed or have symptoms, and to stay home when you are sick.

The impacts on Rhode Islanders of the federal Public Health Emergency ending are outlined below.

Information for the General Public

Vaccines

The end of the federal Public Health Emergency will not impact access to or cost of COVID-19 vaccines. All Rhode Islanders will continue to get COVID-19 vaccines at no cost. Healthcare providers cannot charge an administration fee if COVID-19 vaccination is the only service provided. To find COVID-19 vaccines near you, visit Vaccines.Gov.

Treatment

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government purchased medication to treat COVID-19 (examples include Paxlovid and Molnupiravir/Lagevrio) and made it available to the public at no cost. As long as there is a supply of federally purchased medication to treat COVID-19, the public will not have to pay for the medication and can access care for COVID-19 at little or no cost.

Rhode Island has several “Test to Treat” sites, where patients can still get tested for COVID-19 and, if they are positive and eligible, get a prescription for treatment all at one location. For more information about COVID-19 testing in Rhode Island, visit covid.ri.gov/testing.

Testing

To get COVID-19 tests from the federal government, visit covid.gov/tests. Every household is eligible to place one order for four tests. These tests are available for free while supply lasts. People who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 can also get tested for free at a CDC Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) testing site in Rhode Island. Insurance is not required at these sites. To learn more, visit cdc.gov/icatt.

When the federal Public Health Emergency ends, some insurers may no longer be required to cover certain kinds of tests.

• Medicaid – Over the counter self-tests and tests ordered by a healthcare provider will only be covered at no out-of-pocket cost through September 30, 2024.
• Medicare – Medicare will no longer be required to cover self-tests after the federal Public Health Emergency ends. Some Medicare plans (such as Medicare Advantage, Part B) may continue to cover COVID-19 self-tests.
• Private Insurance – Private insurers will no longer be required to cover self-tests after the federal Public Health Emergency ends. Private insurers can decide whether to cover these tests. Coverage will vary by plan.
• No Insurance – After the federal Public Health Emergency ends, people who do not have health insurance will have to pay for COVID-19 self-tests and COVID-19 tests ordered by healthcare providers but may still access free testing at an ICATT site.

Information for Healthcare Facilities

Personal protective equipment

Throughout the pandemic, the State has been supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) to healthcare facilities at no cost. The last day for pick-up of PPE through this program will be Monday, May 8, 2023. Facilities can place orders for PPE through Friday, April 28, 2023.

Home Health Agencies

During the federal Public Health Emergency, the federal requirement for nurses to conduct an onsite visit to the home of patients receiving care from home health aides every two weeks was waived. These regular visits will be required again after May 11, 2023.

Acute Hospital Care at Home

To ease the burden on hospitals during the pandemic, a pilot program was developed that allowed people at home to get certain acute care that is normally provided in hospitals. (This program is operated by Kent County Hospital.) While this program was initially developed under the federal Public Health Emergency, this program will continue after the federal Public Health Emergency ends.