U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra has declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE) for Louisiana to address the health impacts of Hurricane Francine. This declaration follows President Biden’s emergency declaration for Louisiana and grants the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), healthcare providers, and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting the emergency health needs of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries.

“HHS stands ready to assist state and local response efforts in Louisiana due to the potential healthcare impacts from Hurricane Francine,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “With today’s declaration and waiver, HHS is helping ensure that residents in the storm’s path have continuous access to the care they need during and after this storm.”

To further assist Louisiana, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has deployed disaster management professionals and a Health Care Situational Assessment Team to Baton Rouge for rapid response in the impacted area. These personnel include regional emergency coordinators who integrate with state health authorities, emergency response officials, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to anticipate and help meet public health and medical needs following the storm. The deployed personnel also include medical providers and logistics experts ready to assess impacts on hospitals, nursing homes, dialysis centers, and other healthcare facilities.

“The sheer amount of rain, wind, and storm surge from Hurricane Francine could cause rapid flash flooding and widespread power outages in low-lying coastal areas and beyond,” said Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell. “ASPR’s highly trained personnel are prepared to provide appropriate assistance required to save lives and protect the delivery of healthcare services.”

ASPR is also prepared to deploy additional medical and public health personnel from the National Disaster Medical System as well as officers from the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps if needed.

HHS has made information available from the HHS emPOWER program, a partnership between ASPR and CMS, to support public health emergency planning and response activities. The program provides valuable information on Medicare beneficiaries who rely on electricity-dependent durable medical equipment or certain healthcare services such as dialysis or oxygen tanks, aiding in anticipating, planning for, and responding to at-risk residents' needs.

The Disaster Distress Helpline offers disaster crisis counseling managed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This toll-free multilingual crisis support service is available 24/7 across U.S. territories for those experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters. To connect with a trained counselor, call or text 1-800-985-5990; Spanish speakers can press “2” for bilingual support.

To support state and local health departments in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing on-demand public health resources in multiple languages on topics such as flooding, mold, heat stress, carbon monoxide poisoning, and worker safety.

HHS has also waived sanctions and penalties under certain provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy Rule against hospitals in emergency areas. The HHS Office for Civil Rights issued a bulletin explaining how this limited waiver applies.

In declaring this public health emergency and authorizing flexibilities for CMS providers, suppliers, and beneficiaries retroactive to September 10th 2024 Secretary Becerra acted within his authority under both the Public Health Service Act and Social Security Act.