Now that our government has ended the national and public-health emergencies, here are some of the biggest changes we can expect going forward.

From WORLD. As the number of reported cases of COVID-19 began to balloon in March 2020, President Donald Trump addressed an increasingly concerned country. …

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“To unleash the full power of the federal government … I am officially declaring a national emergency,” Trump said. …

Earlier this year — just over three years since that initial declaration — the Biden administration announced the state of emergency would end on May 11. … On Thursday, the accompanying public health emergency also came to a close, closing the book on America’s response to the worldwide pandemic. …

In most cases, the end of the national emergency and the public health emergency won’t immediately throw the switch on pandemic rules. With some exceptions, the majority of the policy adjustments provide a window of time to make necessary changes.

Telehealth services
After Trump declared a state of emergency, the Food and Drug Administration approved rules allowing doctors to virtually prescribe medications. … Proponents of returning to pre-pandemic processes say the reversal will help supply patients who need medication the most by increasing the level of scrutiny for prescriptions. Others fear customers will lose access to increased care.

Title 42 and immigration

In the U.S. Code, Title 42 allows the president to restrict travel into the country if a transmissible illness might make its way into the United States. Title 42 enabled the country’s Border Patrol to expel migrants immediately before they could apply for asylum. … [Border] officials are preparing for an influx of asylum-seekers with the end of Title 42.

Medicare, Medicaid, and insurance

Under the national health emergency, various federal and state incentives encouraged healthcare providers to prioritize COVID-19 treatment and testing services. If states maintained eligibility standards, kept their premiums the same price, provided COVID-19 testing, and didn’t increase taxpayer contribution requirements, they would become eligible to receive increased federal funding for Medicaid. … The removal of guidelines like these may mean a change in coverage, price, or eligibility for users and hospitals. …

Liability protections under the PREP Act

Legally, the United States had already taken steps to deal with a widespread disease outbreak long before the coronavirus. In the 2005 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act, Congress outlined legal protections for medical providers in an emergency. …

On a larger scale, a wide range of manufacturers also fell under the PREP Act. Any company devoted to “creating covered countermeasures” was shielded from liability. … Most notably, drugmakers like Pfizer and Moderna would receive protections in exchange for developing vaccines in record times.

While the powers granted by the PREP Act won’t expire until December 2024, their provisions are directly triggered by the declaration of a public health emergency.

Are you thankful for the end of the state of emergency? Share your thoughts and prayers below.

(Excerpt from WORLD. Photo Credit: Alin Luna on Unsplash)