DES MOINES -- On Dec 19th, Governor Kim Reynolds joined 24 other governors sending a letter to President Biden urging him to put an end to the Federal Public Health Emergency (PHE). The PHE has been extended until January 2023, despite the President stating the pandemic is over more than four months ago.  

“We have come so far since the beginning of the pandemic—we now have the tools and information necessary to help protect Iowans from COVID-19.” Gov. Reynolds said. “We have returned to life as normal and it is time the federal government’s policies reflected that.” 

President Biden has extended the PHE until at least January 11, 2023 and is expected to extend it again until April 2023. Through this letter, the 25 governors are urging the President to let it expire in April—giving states several months to prepare for the end of the emergency.  

“The PHE is negatively affecting states, primarily by artificially growing our population covered under Medicaid, regardless of whether individuals continue to be eligible under the program. Since the beginning of the pandemic, states have added 20 million individuals to the Medicaid rolls, an increase of 30-percent, and those numbers continue to climb as the PHE continues to be extended every 90 days.” 

The full letter can be viewed here.