COVID-19 PHE Sunset

The federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) and the State of Illinois Disaster Proclamation are scheduled to sunset simultaneously on May 11, 2023. IHA issued a memo on March 3 that outlined federal and state information pertaining to the end of COVID-19 as a PHE. 

See the updates below for the latest information for healthcare providers. You can also view the American Hospital Association's (AHA) letter to the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) advocating for federal action here.

Federal Updates

• FDA Guidance Documents Related to COVID-19 (3/13/23)
• CMS Fact Sheet on Waivers, Flexibilities and Transition from PHE (2/27/23)
• HHS PHE Transition Roadmap Fact Sheet on Affected/Unaffected Policies (2/9/23)
• CMS Provider-Specific Fact Sheets on Waivers and Flexibilities (2/24/23)
• HHS's OCR Guidance on Permissible Post-PHE Options Related to HIPAA Rules 

Federal Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers

• CMS Guidance on Federal Vaccine Mandate for Healthcare Workers (10/26/22)
• CDC Guidance on Masking for Healthcare Personnel (9/27/22) 

Federal Telehealth

• HHS Telehealth Policy Changes After COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (2/16/23)
• DEA Proposed Telemedicine Rules Summary
• Highlights for Medical Practitioners (2/24/23)
• HHS Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications During COVID PHE (4/21/20) 

State Updates

Medicaid Enrollment

• HFS Ready to Renew Messaging Toolkit (3/15/23)
• Application for Benefits Eligibility (ABE) website (3/15/23)
• CMS Guidance to State Health Officials Regarding Unwinding Process (3/3/22)
• FAQ for Consumers Losing Medicaid or CHIP Coverage Due to Unwinding of Medicaid Continuous Enrollment Condition (1/27/23)
• Address Update Messaging Toolkit for End of Medicaid Continuous Coverage
• Illinois Medicaid and the End of Continuous Coverage FAQ 

Out-of-State License Waivers

• Illinois Proclamation to Invoke Emergency Powers to Modify Professional License and Certification Statutes and Regulations for Out-of-State Healthcare Workers

State Telehealth

• IHA Detailed Summary of Telehealth Legislation (6/7/21)

Bed and Service Flexibilities

• HFSRB Letter to Hospital Executives on End of Bed and Services Flexibilities (2/16/23)

State Vaccination/Testing Mandates for Healthcare Workers

• Illinois Executive Order Requiring Healthcare Workers to be Vaccinated or Tested Weekly (EO 2021-12) (6/11/21) 
• EO 2022-20 Expiration (9/16/22)

Masking Rules for Hospitals

• Executive Order 2021-12 (6/11/21)
• Executive Order 2022-12 (4/29/22)
• Executive Order 2022-21 (10/14/22)