CMS announces blanket waivers for providers in Calif. wildfire areas

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today announced blanket waivers from certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program requirements to help health care providers meet patients’ needs in areas affected by the California wildfires. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar this week declared a public health emergency in California due to the wildfires, which forced the evacuation of at least two hospitals – Adventist Health Feather River in Paradise and Los Robles Regional Medical Center’s East Campus in Thousand Oaks. For more on the fires and hospital funds available to help impacted hospital workers, visit www.calhospital.org.