0960-AI85 202304 Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions 0960 Social Security Administration SSA Extension of the Flexibility in Evaluating "Close Proximity of Time" to Evaluate Changes in Healthcare Following the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

On July 23, 2021, we issued a temporary final rule (TFR) with request for comment to lengthen the close proximity of time standard in the Listing of Impairments (the listings) for musculoskeletal disorders due to the ongoing effects of the COVID19 pandemic. We provided that the TFR would be effective until 6 months after the effective date of a determination by the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) that a Public Health Emergency (PHE) resulting from the COVID19 pandemic no longer exists. Although the PHE expired on May 11, 2023, healthcare practices in a post-pandemic world are still evolving. We are therefore extending the flexibility provided in the previous TFR until May 11, 2025, so we can evaluate how changes in healthcare practices may affect our policy .

]]> Other Significant First Time Published in The Unified Agenda Final Rule Stage No No 20 CFR 404 and 416 Social Security Act Administrative Procedures Act No Final Action 11/00/2023 No No None Undetermined No No Michael Goldstein J. Director 0960 Social Security Administration SSA 410 965-1020 michael.j.goldstein@ssa.gov Office of Disability Policy, 6401 Security Boulevard, Baltimore MD 21235-6401