HHS Secretary Tom Price, MD, declared a public health emergency in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina Friday prior to Hurricane Irma's landfall.
"Hurricane Irma has proven to be highly destructive and poses a significant threat to the health and safety of all Americans in its path," said Dr. Price. "HHS has pre-positioned assets and personnel who can rapidly deploy to assist local responses in Florida to Hurricane Irma, and this declaration will help ensure that access to care is maintained for those with Medicare and Medicaid."
In addition to the public health emergency, Dr. Price increased flexibility for Medicare beneficiaries to ensure that providers are able to service those impacted by the storm. The flexibility measures were effective Sept. 8 and have retroactive effect to Sept. 4.
Public health emergencies were also issued in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.