Groups Call on State to Seek Medicaid Disaster Flexibilities in the Wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton

October 15, 2024
Office of Governor Ron DeSantis
State of Florida
The Capitol
400 S. Monroe St.
Tallahassee, FL 32399
GovernorRon.DeSantis@eog.myflorida.com  

Secretary Jason Weida
Agency for Health Care Administration
2727 Mahan Dr.
Tallahassee, Florida 32308
jason.weida@ahca.myflorida.com 

SENT VIA EMAIL 

Dear Governor DeSantis and Secretary Weida, 

We are local and statewide organizations deeply concerned about our communities in the wake  of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Helene alone led to an anticipated loss of 40,000 to 50,000  jobs, with further job loss expected from Milton. With businesses closed because of damage or  lack of access to critical services, the impacts of these storms will be long-lasting. Floridians  have lost their homes, their jobs, and as a result, their economic security. Under these  conditions, access to health care is inevitably challenging, if not impossible. Some residents will  no longer have access to employer-covered health coverage, others will face increased costs as  they contend with increased travel times to providers, and others will have health conditions  exacerbated by housing insecurity. As we work together to support recovery efforts, we urge  you to apply to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for all available disaster  flexibilities to enhance Medicaid accessibility for our residents. 

By utilizing the disaster flexibilities offered by CMS, Florida can implement crucial measures,  including: 

• Streamlined Enrollment Processes: Simplify the application process, including adding  additional health care providers and community agencies to the list of qualified entities  who may conduct presumptive eligibility, to ensure that those affected can access  Medicaid benefits without delay. 
• Continuous Coverage: Extend redetermination period for non-MAGI eligibility  determinations to 12 months, giving aged and disabled Medicaid recipients 12 months of  continuous coverage regardless of a change in circumstances. 
• Telehealth Services: Maximize the benefits for which delivery via telehealth is available,  to provide essential care to those unable to travel.
• Temporary Dislocation: Opt to consider individuals who have evacuated from the state  to continue to be state residents for eligibility purposes. 
• Extend Period for Non-citizen Applicants: Provide an extension of the 90 day  reasonable opportunity period for non-citizens making a good faith effort to obtain any  necessary documentation. 
• Expand Use of Self-Attestation: Allow residents to self-attest to certain required  information for Medicaid applications and renewals rather than require them to obtain  documents that are difficult to retrieve or that may have been destroyed in the hurricane.  
• Extra Time for Annual Reviews: Provide families a minimum of two extra months to complete annual reviews that are otherwise due in October, as was done for KidCare enrollees.  
• Suspend Prior Authorization for Prescription Drugs & Certain Medical Supplies:  Remove the requirement for 1) clinical review for the dispensing of a medication and  certain necessary medical supplies; or 2) extend approvals for the quantity of medication  and supplies for which they were approved.  

As our communities begin the arduous journey of recovery, it is imperative that we remove  barriers to health care access. Applying for these disaster flexibilities is a critical step toward  ensuring that every Floridian can receive the care they need during this challenging time. 

Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We are confident that with your leadership,  we can take decisive action to support our residents and help them navigate the recovery  process.

Signed,
Catalyst Miami
Central Florida Jobs with Justice
Florida Health Justice Project
Florida Policy Institute
Florida Voices for Health
SEIU Florida