This post has been archived and contains information that may be out of date.
This page provides the latest information on federal and state actions regarding the Los Angeles fires. The resources and information about official actions can help your hospital respond to the fires and continue to treat patients.
If you have any questions, contact Trina Gonzalez, Vice President, Policy at tgonzalez@calhospital.org.
Federal
- Blanket Waivers from CMS — Includes wavier of the SNF 3-day acute care stay requirement, other space/environment, medical staff, and telehealth waivers. Hospitals do not need to make requests to CMS to avail themselves to blanket waivers
- Noridian Response to California Wildfire PHE — Includes instructions for use of mandatory disaster modifiers for Medicare claims impacted by PHE and provider enrollment relief
- Public Health Emergency — Declaration to Aid California Health Care Response
- Medicare waivers/flexibilities – CMS has established a portal for facilities to apply for 1135 waivers of certain Medicare Conditions of Participation and certification, as well as flexibilities that help ensure patient access to care during a disaster. A sample request would be a waiver of the skilled nursing facility three-day prior hospitalization requirements.
- Waivers of Sanctions under the Physician Self-Referral Law during Emergencies
- Limited Waiver of HIPAA Sanctions and Penalties During a Declared Emergency: 2025 Public Health Emergency for California in Response to Wildfires and Straight-Line Winds
State
- CDPH recently released two AFLs regarding the suspension of regulatory enforcement for hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. The AFLs cover the following:
- Staffing — For hospitals and SNFs experiencing a surge of patients or staffing shortages resulting from fire or windstorm impacts, including school closures or an emergency such as a public safety power shutoff, staffing waivers can be requested via CDPH’s Program Flex portal.
- Licensure — For change of beds and services, hospitals must submit a Program Flex application, but approval is not required before providing care.
- Space — Hospitals may convert the use of existing space and use additional space, including surge tents, to allow additional patients access to care.
- Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) — DHCS has set up a site dedicated to the LA fires for Medi-Cal enrollees, plans, and providers. Facility flexibilities and other waivers from DHCS will be continuously updated on this site.
- Second Executive Order — This order provides the Emergency Management Services Agency (EMSA) Director with the ability to license out-of-state medical personnel.
- EMSA has released instructions on the approval process and procedures for health care facilities
- DMHC Resource Guide — This includes language from the guidance DMHC sent last week and phone numbers and website links for the plans that are operating in the affected area.
- Health Plans — All Plan Letter: Enrollees’ Continued Access to Health Care
- Pharmacy — Waiver of standard practices, waiver of staffing ratio provisions, waiver related to remote processing, waiver related to the delivery of provisions
- First Executive Order — CHA summary and guidance on governor’s first executive order