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HHS Secretary Sebelius Offers Barbour Emergency Federal Medicaid Support News
Posted Monday, May 09, 2011
For Immediate Release
May 9, 2011
Press Release
HHS Secretary Sebelius Offers Barbour Emergency Federal Medicaid Support
With imminent flooding of many Mississippi Delta counties and the recent significant loss of life and property due to last month’s horrific tornados, Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has offered Governor Haley Barbour several options to speed Medicaid eligibility for those who may desperately need health services.
In the letter to Barbour, Secretary Sebelius outlined ways the state Division of Medicaid can immediately expand access to health care by: providing temporary increases in Medicaid income eligibility limits, removing resource tests that allow residents who may have lost documents in the storm to certify their income and residency, and delaying the process of redetermining whether an individual remains eligible for Medicaid.
The Secretary urged Governor Barbour to consult with CMS central and regional offices to determine how best to meet their needs. The Secretary provided a commitment that the Federal Government would expedite whatever federal approvals that Mississippi may need for state plan amendments or waivers, and that such authorities could be retroactive as early as the beginning of the disaster period. Already, HHS is working closely with Alabama on a waiver to help residents, in that hard-hit state, access the health care they need.
Roy Mitchell, executive director of the Mississippi Health Advocacy Program, said that he is hopeful Governor Barbour adheres to the Secretary’s suggestions. “We are appreciative that the Department of Health and Human Services recognizes the immediate health care needs of so many Mississippians and stands ready to work with us to ensure our residents have the access to health care that they need,” said Mitchell. “It is our hope that Governor Barbour will take advantage of this much needed assistance for the well-being of those affected by these disasters.”
To see Secretary Sebelius’s letter to Governor Barbour, visit www.mhap.org.