INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The State of Indiana’s public health emergency has been extended for another 30 days after Governor Eric Holcomb today signed Executive Orders 21-31 and 21-32 to continue the public health emergency and the executive order for provisions that address the impact of COVID-19.
Under the public health emergency, Indiana is eligible to receive enhanced federal funding for Medicaid programs to help cover the increased costs of 500,000 Hoosiers who have enrolled in the programs because of the pandemic. So far, the state has received $972 million in enhanced funding.
The state would lose more than $175 million in future funding through March 2022 and about 250,000 Hoosiers would lose partial or full Medicaid coverage if the state public health emergency ends before the federal public health emergency.
The executive orders allow 200,000 eligible households to receive an additional $95 per month in federal food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides nutrition for more than 600,000 Hoosiers.
In addition, Indiana’s public health emergency allows the state health commissioner to serve as the statewide ordering physician for those who choose to be vaccinated, including children five and older. This offers easy access to vaccines through pharmacies, local health departments, and other health facilities.
The current public health emergency is scheduled to expire on December 31.
Click here to see the executive orders.
