Following President Biden’s emergency declarations in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE) for Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee to address the health impacts of Hurricane Helene. The PHE gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. These actions and flexibilities are retroactive to September 23, 2024. HHS has also waived sanctions and penalties for violations of certain provisions. Additional information regarding the limited waiver and its duration can also be reviewed online.
To date, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response has deployed approximately 200 personnel.
These experts include Health Care Situational Assessment Teams which are assessing the storm’s impacts to hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers, and other health care facilities, as well as Health and Medical Task Forces and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMAT) from the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) which are prepared to provide medical care.
After the Health Care Situational Assessment Teams completed assessments in Florida and Alabama, neither state requested federal public health or medical assistance. The ASPR teams currently are working with state and local officials to assess the storm-related needs of healthcare delivery systems in North Carolina. In addition, a subject matter expert from NDMS’ Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team has been activated to provide additional expertise in North Carolina.
HHS has also taken the proactive measures to help support the needs of the region with the HHS emPOWER program, which is available to identify the number of Medicare beneficiaries in affected zips codes who rely on electricity-dependent durable medical equipment and certain healthcare services, such as dialysis, oxygen tank, or home health, to help anticipate, plan for, and respond to the needs of at-risk citizens in potentially impacted areas.