HHS waives certain requirements for Texas, La. and Calif. emergencies

Aug 27, 2020 - 02:34 PM
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Seal

The Department of Health and Human Services yesterday declared public health emergencies and waived certain Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program requirements in Louisiana and Texas due to Hurricane Laura, and in California due to wildfires.

The waivers give health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs.

HHS said it also has activated an incident management team and positioned National Disaster Medical System medical personnel and equipment to help states respond to the hurricane, and coordinated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make 50 additional ambulances available to evacuate hospitals and nursing homes if needed.

The agency said NDMS and the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps also are prepared to provide medical care and public health support in California if needed.

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