HHS declares public health emergency in Florida and Alabama

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has declared a public health emergency in Florida and Alabama following the impact of Hurricane Isaias. Invoking Section 319 of the Public Health Service Act, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the measure to ensure healthcare continuity as the states recover from the storm.

The declaration allows for significant flexibilities regarding Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Key provisions include the ability to substitute wholesale acquisition costs for Medicare Part B drugs instead of the standard manufacturer’s average sales price. Additionally, the order may allow healthcare professionals with equivalent licenses from other states to provide services and eases certification and prior approval requirements for providers.

These measures aim to assist hospitals and medical providers in maintaining essential services despite the disruptions caused by the hurricane, which left hundreds of thousands without power across the Southeast. The emergency provisions are retroactive to October 6 in Florida and October 7 in Alabama.