What the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency means for you

Plus more health news |

Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

What will change when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent Almost since the emergence of COVID-19, the U.S. has treated the disease as both a national and public health emergency. That will end on May 11, 2023, the Biden Administration announced yesterday. The decision to end these important designations will have wide-ranging impacts on many health measures that Americans have come to take for granted over the past few years, including free vaccines, booster shots, tests, and treatments. Here's how the changes may impact you. Vaccines: COVID-19 vaccines and boosters will continue to be covered for people with private insurance when given by in-network providers, but according to an analysis by Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), people may have to pay out-of-pocket if they get their shots from providers outside of their covered network. People with Medicare and Medicaid will continue to receive free vaccines, but uninsured folks won't. Tests: Insurers may continue to cover COVID-19 tests, including the rapid, at-home kind, but only if they are distributed by a narrower pool of in-network providers. Medicare beneficiaries will have to start paying for a portion of any tests. Medicaid will continue to pay for COVID-19 tests that are ordered by a doctor, but each state will decide whether to cover at-home tests. Treatments: Privately insured people will continue to receive coverage for COVID-19 treatments, as will people with Medicare Part D (until federal supplies run out). Medicaid will reimburse only for treatments that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Whether medications that are under an emergency use authorization from the FDA are covered will vary state by state. READ MORE

What else to read Without Evusheld, Immunocompromised People Are on Their Own Against COVID-19 By Jamie Ducharme 'We've been forgotten and ignored.' Read More » 9 Rules for Talking About Sex With Your Partner By Vanessa Marin Most of us struggle with communication in many areas of our relationship, so of course talking about a particularly vulnerable topic is going to feel even harder. Read More » Israel's Chief Rabbi Rules That Cultivated Meat Could Be Kosher. Not Everyone Agrees By Aryn Baker Israel's head rabbi says that cultivated beef could be considered kosher. But the head of the Orthodox Union disagrees. Read More » The Best Kind of Breakfast for Your Metabolism By Zee Krstic / Cooking Light These experts have read the research. (Originally published in 2018.) Read More » What's the Ideal Bed Time? By Markham Heid There is a time range you should shoot for if you're questing for a perfect night's sleep. (Originally published in 2014.) Read More »

ONE LAST STORY The Fight for Insurance Coverage of Rare-Disease Drugs Washington Post journalist Carolyn Johnson was shocked when her toddler son was diagnosed with a rare form of childhood arthritis last year—but she wasn’t surprised by the odyssey it took to get insurance to cover the costly drugs he needs. Johnson wrote about the experience in a powerful essay that captures one family’s brush with a profoundly broken system. Read More »

If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, click here. Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Jamie Ducharme and edited by Mandy Oaklander.

Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters. Subscribe to TIME

TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice.   Connect with TIME via Facebook | Twitter | Newsletters       UNSUBSCRIBE     PRIVACY POLICY     YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS   TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508   Questions? Contact health@time.com   Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.