COVID-19 Phase 5 Legislation Signed into Law

On March 11, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. signed into law the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act (P.L. 117-2). The legislation — which passed the Senate by a vote of 50 to 49 and the House by a party-line vote of 220 to 211 — provides additional funding for COVID-19 testing, vaccinations and treatment. It also provides an additional $8.5 billion for rural providers through the Provider Relief Fund. Additionally, the bill expands health insurance coverage through COBRA and Affordable Care Act exchange plans. Unfortunately, the legislation did not include COVID-19-related medical liability protections — a priority for neurosurgery.