Biden extends COVID-19 public health emergency past midterm elections

The Biden administration has extended the COVID-19 public health emergency through Jan. 11.

The public health emergency, which was set to expire Thursday, will now remain in place past the midterm elections, keeping millions of Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program beneficiaries who were in jeopardy of losing their coverage enrolled for several more months.

The emergency declaration was first declared in January 2020 and has been extended in increments of 90 days since. The Biden administration has previously said it would inform states at least 60 days in advance of possible termination.