The American Rescue Plan, signed on March 11 by President Biden, provides significant funding for states’ pandemic response efforts — something missing from previous relief measures — and for Medicaid programs.
On To the Point, Josh LaRosa and colleagues from the Wynne Health Group and the Commonwealth Fund’s Rachel Nuzum break down the $1.9 trillion allocated for states’ COVID-19 responses. This includes funding for vaccination, testing, public health workforce maintenance and expansion, nursing homes, and more. Medicaid-focused provisions include resources to fully cover COVID-19 vaccination and treatment with no cost sharing to beneficiaries.
Moving forward, the authors note that “states will continue to play a central role in combating the pandemic and will require lasting support to do so.” | 
