evidence: In response to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government spent billions of dollars in emergency funds between 2020 and 2022 to purchase medical countermeasures – vaccines, including boosters, treatments, and tests – and provided them free of charge to the public. In addition, Congress enacted several bills that included special requirements for their coverage by both public and private insurers, and the administration issued guidance and regulations to protect patient access and promote equitable distribution. The effective dates of many, though not all, of these requirements were tied to the public health emergency (PHE) declaration made pursuant to Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, first declared in January of 2020 and renewed every 90 days through February 9, 2023, effectively ending the PHE on May 11, 2023. The availability of federally-purchased COVID-19 medical countermeasures ensured that they were provided free to all.