Council Shares Recommendations on PHE Waivers with Congressional Delegation
On March 3, 2023, The New England Council’s Healthcare Committee delivered a presentation to Congressional staff members regarding the Administration’s decision to end the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (and national emergency) declarations on May 11, 2023. Many New England Council members have highlighted the immediate and long-term benefits that the flexibility associated with the PHE has provided, as well as spotlighted the many new tools that were created as a direct response to the COVID-19 PHE. Specifically, developments in telehealth, workforce practitioner practice limitations and licensure requirements, as well as quality of patient care have all seen major developments over the past three years were among the issues that our members highlighted.
In conjunction with the briefing, the Council also provided Congressional offices with a set of recommendations for them to consider as the PHE expiration approaches, and asked for the delegations’ assistance in communicating these concerns to the Administration. The recommendations were prepared based upon feedback from Council members across the healthcare sector.
We were pleased to be joined by staff from Congressional offices from across the region for the briefing, and look forward to working with the delegation on this issue moving forward. For more information on the Council’s Healthcare Committee please contact Sean Malone