As we move into this post-pandemic phase, it is important to consider how the end of the PHE will impact care delivery and patient care now that certain provisions that allowed for expanded, easier access to care may or may not remain in place. Many hospitals, providers, and caregivers continue to deal with the challenges of workforce shortages and financial pressures, cost increases for medications and equipment, supply chain issues, and sicker patients. 

As you may have heard, the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) and national emergency (NE) are coming to a close on May 11, 2023. The focus of this article addresses the potential impact to commercial/employer plan enrollment shifts as a result of the unwinding of Medicaid continuous coverage protection.

Staffing shortages are not new. For years, the industry has been predicting a shortage of physicians and nurses, particularly in rural areas, and there have been calls to expand scope of practice for nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists as a result. Enter COVID-19, and staffing shortages accelerated. Physicians, nurses, and other care providers began exiting the job market because of insufficient resources and burnout.

Three years into the pandemic, a recent Lancet editorial observed, “The acute months of the COVID-19 pandemic motivated an unprecedented response from governments, international organisations, pharmaceutical companies, and civil society.” As we transition to a different phase of this pandemic, the need for multistakeholder collaboration continues, to build resilience and prevent or mitigate future pandemics.