WASHINGTON (CN) — Mask mandates are disappearing, Covid-19 cases are steady and demand for testing is waning, but experts and the White House warn the failure by Congress to fund disease-prevention measures could put the U.S. in a precarious, and potentially dangerous, moment of the pandemic.
Nearly $16 billion in Covid-19 aid was cut from a government funding package last week after several House Democrats raised objections over the fact that the aid was being funded in part through money previously allocated to states. The rescission of local funds was the result of a bipartisan deal to get Republicans on board with the funding, but it was nixed from the government-wide bill after protests from some House Democrats.
Now, Congress needs to pass separate legislation to prevent federal vaccine, testing and research programs from ending, a difficult task as Senate Republicans, who wield the power of the filibuster, demand full payment for any aid, making the path for a bipartisan deal on pandemic aid uncertain.
The White House warned Tuesday that a delay in or failure to fund pandemic programs would have "severe consequences" on America's fight against Covid-19.
"Some programs, if we don't get funding, could abruptly end or need to be pared back," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during a Monday press conference.
Without continued federal funding, according to the White House, programs that provide free testing, Covid-19 vaccines and treatments to people without insurance would stop accepting new claims for testing and treatment on March 22 and no longer be able to cover the cost of vaccinations starting April 5.
"Providers will no longer be able to submit claims for providing these services to uninsured individuals, forcing providers to either absorb the cost or turn away people who are uninsured, increasing the disparity in access to critically needed health care and putting additional burdens on safety net providers," the White House said in a statement Tuesday.
The federal dollars at stake in Congress are also critical to the procurement of vaccines and tests, as well as for funding federal virus research and development of future Covid-19 vaccines.
If Congress doesn't act, the White House warns that testing accessibility will decline in June and the U.S. won't be able to stockpile booster vaccines — a supply that is critical to prepare for the chance that additional vaccine doses may be needed to keep people protected from the still-evolving virus.
"We don't want someone to not get tested because they can't find a test, they can't afford a test or they can't get reimbursed for a test," Adriane Casalotti, chief of public and government affairs for the National Association of County and City Health Officials, said in an interview. "We don't want someone to not get vaccinated or not get boosted because there aren't any vaccines available, or there are associated costs."
A lack of new federal funding will stymie access to Covid-19 treatments, including antiviral pills and monoclonal antibodies. Though the government has lined up an order of monoclonal antibodies, which can be used to treat Covid-19 infections, the White House says it doesn't have the money now to follow through with the March 25 order.
"In order to keep these treatments free and available to the American people for as long as possible," the White House said in a statement, "the administration will now have to stretch our current supply and, starting next week, will be forced to cut state allocations of our limited existing supply of life-saving monoclonal antibody treatments by more than 30%."
Not being able to buy orders of existing and developing treatments could put the health care system in a precarious position.
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