MDHHS provides update as federal Public Health Emergency comes to an end
Free COVID-19 testing and vaccines to continue to be available
LANSING — As the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) comes to a close May 11, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) provides updates about changes to data reporting, Epidemic Orders and the continued availability of COVID-19 testing and vaccines.
“MDHHS will continue to provide resources to Michiganders to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, including access to free testing and vaccines,” said Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, MDHHS chief medical executive. “Based on changes being made at the federal level, there will be updates made to data reporting and other requirements our state has been following for the past three years.”
Testing
MDHHS will continue supporting free over-the-counter test (OTC) distribution through the Michigan library program. Tests shipped direct to households via Project Act will be supported until at least June 2023. MDHHS will also support distribution of COVID-19 antigen tests to high-risk settings including long-term care, shelters, jails and schools.
Free COVID-19 testing will also continue at neighborhood and community testing locations, including distribution of OTCs. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will continue to support free COVID-19 testing at some locations.
No-cost coverage for testing will continue for Michigan residents with Medicaid through Sept. 30, 2024, however other insurers may require cost-sharing. Individuals should contact their insurer for more information.
Vaccines
All currently distributed COVID-19 vaccines are considered federal assets. COVID-19 vaccines will eventually move to the commercial market, however, as the federal supply persists there will be no changes or cost associated with receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. The shift to commercial vaccine is projected to occur this fall. The Biden Administration recently announced a program to preserve free access to COVID-19 vaccines for the uninsured and underinsured even after the PHE ends.
Michiganders can find the vaccine nearest them by visiting vaccines.gov or calling the COVID-19 Hotline at 888-535-6136. MDHHS will continue to support vaccination for home-bound populations through collaboration with Disability Rights of Michigan. Through a partnership with MDHHS, Medical Network One and the Visiting Nurses Association will continue also be available to support COVID-19 vaccine events.
Therapeutics
Authorized COVID-19 therapeutics will continue to be available. The federal government has purchased a supply of antiviral treatments that will be available at no cost. After that supply is depleted, costs will depend largely on the type of health insurance an individual has available. No-cost coverage will continue for Michigan residents with Medicaid through Sept. 30, 2024.
Epidemic Orders
All remaining state Epidemic Orders will be rescinded. Residential and long-term care facility reporting, testing and vaccine orders are also ending. Hospitals and Nursing Homes will need to observe CDC and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance and requirements, which will continue to mandate reporting.
Data
COVID-19 remains a reportable disease in Michigan so case, death and demographic information will continue to be posted regularly along with wastewater surveillance, outbreak reporting, COVID-like Illness and hospitalization data. Negative test and case reporting is being discontinued in some jurisdictions in the United States. CDC Transmission and Community-Level reporting will therefore be discontinued, as those levels rely on case rates and/or test positivity.
Although Michigan will continue to receive positive COVID-19 test results, negative COVID-19 test reporting will no longer be required and total test volume and test positivity will no longer be available on the COVID-19 Dashboard.
Other reporting changes include:
Per the ending of the Long-Term Care (LTC) Epidemic Order, Adult Foster Care and Homes for the Aged COVID-19 data will no longer be available on the LTC data page.
Statewide, aggregate COVID-19 Nursing Home data will be available on the LTC data page.
Individual facility data can be found through CMS.
Detailed demographic information on Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children cases will be discontinued.
The K-12 School District Case Rates dashboard will be discontinued at the end of this school year.
The COVID-19 vaccine dashboard will be updated to focus metrics on initiation and receipt of a bivalent vaccine and will be updated according to CDC cadence, which is expected to be monthly starting in June.
Medicaid redeterminations
Medicaid beneficiaries will have to renew their coverage this year as Michigan resumes Medicaid eligibility redeterminations to comply with federal legislation as the PHE ends. Renewals for traditional Medicaid and the Healthy Michigan Plan will take place monthly starting in June 2023 and run through May 2024. Monthly renewal notices will be sent three months prior to a beneficiaries’ renewal date, starting with June renewal dates. Beneficiaries can check their renewal month at Michigan.gov/MIBridges.
More information about how benefits connected to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency are changing can be found at Michigan.gov/2023BenefitChanges.
To find the most updated information on COVID-19, including vaccines and testing, visit Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.
