By Crystal Swann
September 12, 2005

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) moved forward to ease the transition of those displaced by the hurricane and the assist those suffering from its aftermath. HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt declared a public health emergency for Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and Texas, which allows HHS to waive certain Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP), Medicare, and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a division of HHS, has acted to insure that the regulations in the Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Insurance Programs are flexible enough to accommodate the emergency health care needs of beneficiaries and medical providers in the states devastated by Hurricane Katrina. For the now, Medicaid eligibility will be assumed for evacuees.

In addition, Secretary Leavitt notified Congress that he was involving his authority to waive or modify Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP requirements to protect the public health and welfare in time of national crisis as authorized by Section 1135 of the Social Security Act. Among the provisions waived are the requirements for licensing of health care professional in the state in which they provide services and sanctions and penalties arising from noncompliance with specific provisions of HIPAA privacy regulations. To find out more go to www.hhs.gov/katrina

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are providing up-to-date information on the health conditions in the region. According to the CDC website, "Although infectious diseases are a frightening prospect, widespread outbreaks of infectious disease after hurricanes are not common in the United States. Rare and deadly exotic diseases, such as cholera or typhoid, do not suddenly break out after hurricanes and floods in areas where such diseases do not naturally occur. Communicable disease outbreaks of diarrhea and respiratory illness can occur when water and sewage systems are not working and personal hygiene is hard to maintain as a result of a disaster. However, no disease outbreaks have been reported as of September 8, 2005 in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina." For more specific CDC related information go to www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/katrina.asp

As always, continue to check usmayors.org for updates and the latest links.