DHCS expresses gratitude to our plans, providers, stakeholders, and other partners for their commitment and partnership during the COVID-19 PHE. We worked together and adapted quickly to the pandemic’s challenges and difficulties to care for millions of Californians. Our joint efforts enabled us to navigate the PHE with resilience and perseverance, and we are grateful for your ongoing engagement. ​​  

The health care industry, particularly hospitals, behavioral health facilities, and skilled nursing facilities, faced the brunt of the PHE’s impact. The surge in COVID-19 cases placed immense strain on those facilities, stretching resources to their limits and challenging our workforce as never before seen with overwhelming patient volumes, shortages of critical supplies and equipment, and the need for additional staff. Despite these challenges, our collective efforts enabled us to continue providing vital services. Some examples include, making permanent telehealth policies implemented during the PHE, including payment parity, flexibilities for FQHC partners and expanding telehealth to all delivery systems, stabilizing and retaining California’s health care workforce by providing retention payments to workers in qualifying facilities and clinics, and launching a Coverage Ambassadors program and Renewal Campaign to ensure that Medi-Cal members know how best to retain their health coverage, we have demonstrated our commitment to serving Californians.  ​​  

Rebuilding and strengthening our health care system requires a continued collaborative effort. We must focus on implementing strategies to bolster our system and workforce. We’ve learned a lot from this pandemic, and how we can better protect the health and well-being of all Californians, now and in the future.  ​​  

As a reminder, the end of the federal COVID-19 PHE has implications for Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). DHCS acted to make permanent several flexibilities implemented over the course of the PHE. Below is a summary of end dates for key federal Medicaid provisions, with additional details on how DHCS unwound the PHE in the Medi-Cal program. ​​  

美國救援計劃法（ARPA）下的醫療補助和 CHIP COVID-19 條文：​​  

• 為 Medi-Cal 會員提供 2019 冠狀病毒疫苗、測試和治療的免費保障：在 ARPA 保障期 30，2024 的 ARPA 保障期結束前，Medicaid 必須支付 COVID-19 疫苗、測試和治療，而會員無需共享成本。DHCS 選擇在 ARPA 保障期以外永久擴展 COVID-19 疫苗、測試和治療的保障。​​  
• Optional COVID-19 Group for Uninsured Individuals: California has taken advantage of the “optional COVID-19 group,” also referred to as the COVID-19 Uninsured Group, that provided uninsured individuals with coverage for COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatment. This coverage expires on May 31 and DHCS began sending notices to individuals enrolled in the COVID-19 Uninsured Group about the program’s sunset along with a Single Streamlined Application to apply for Medi-Cal or Covered California coverage in late April 2023.  ​​  
• 加強了 COVID-19 疫苗和疫苗管理局的聯邦匹配：根據 ARPA 制定，各州獲得 100％ 的聯邦配對資金，用於疫苗和疫苗管理的保障。 這些配對基金也在 30 月 2024 結束。 如上所述，Medi-Cal 將繼續涵蓋 COVID-19 疫苗。​​   

由 PHE 提供的法定靈活性：​​  

第 1135 條豁免將於 5 月 11 日到期，醫療補助計劃無法在 PHE 結束後延長這些靈活性。 此外，DHCS 選擇在 PHE 結束前停止緊急醫療服務提供者的註冊靈活性，從 29 月 2023 生效。​​  

醫療補助州立災害計劃修正案（SPA）也將於 5 月 11 日到期，DHCS 將永久化的修訂除外。有關通過傳統 SPA 流程設定為永久性的特定保單的詳細信息，請參閱 Medi-Cal COVID-19 PHE 第 I 部分和持續保障營運解除計劃。 此外，DHCS 最近更新了所有計劃信 20-004，該函為 Medi-Cal 託管護理計劃提供了有關解除 PHE 下提供的臨時變更的指導。​​    

第 1915 (c) 附錄 K 或第 1115 條附件 K 的終止日期因豁免而有所不同，但通常不會晚於 PHE 結束後六個月。同樣地，DHCS 計劃將一些 1915 年 (c) 和 1115 年的彈性設置永久制定。 有關這些政策的詳細信息，請參閱 Medi-Cal COVID-19 PHE 第 I 部分和持續保障營運解除計劃。​​  

向前邁進​​  

COVID-19 may no longer be classified as a public health emergency, however, COVID-19 will continue to be an ongoing health issue and California’s SMARTER Plan is specifically designed to effectively manage this ongoing reality. SMARTER, which stands for Shots, Masks, Awareness, Readiness, Testing, Education and Rx, is the next phase of the state’s COVID-19 response. It retains California’s operational preparedness and will continue to guide our work in supporting communities throughout the state. With the knowledge gained over the past few years, we understand the steps that we must take to prepare for future COVID-19 surges or variants, which includes reducing the burden on health care systems. The SMARTER Plan acknowledges and builds upon California’s previous successes and is designed to be adaptable. Additionally, this website hosted by the California Health & Human Services Agency, provides resources for Californians about various services and programs that are impacted by the end of the COVID-19 PHE, including flexibilities and other policy changes.​​   

繼續前進，共同合作，我們可以自信地解決 COVID-19 所帶來的挑戰，同時保持加利福尼亞州人健康。​​