As a result of the continued consequences of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, on this date and after consultation with public health officials as necessary, I, Xavier Becerra, Secretary of Health and Human Services, pursuant to the authority vested in me under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, do hereby renew, effective April 16, 2022, the January 31, 2020, determination by former Secretary Alex M. Azar II, that he previously renewed on April 21, 2020, July 23, 2020, October 2, 2020, and January 7, 2021, and that I renewed on April 15, 2021, July 19, 2021, October 15, 2021, and January 14, 2022, that a public health emergency exists and has existed since January 27, 2020, nationwide.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services has extended for another 90 days the declaration of a Public health Emergency as a result of the continued consequences of COVID-19. This extension allows for the continued treatment of patients through telehealth. The federal government has taken steps to make providing and receiving care through telehealth easier. These are temporary measures under the COVID-19 public health emergency declaration and are subject to change.
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, any health care provider who is eligible to bill Medicare can bill for telehealth services regardless of where the patient or provider is located. For more information about what is covered, see:
During the COVID-19 public health emergency, authorized providers can prescribe controlled substances via telehealth, without the need for an in-person medical evaluation.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 continued and expanded telehealth funding and reimbursement due to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
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