Hamilton calls on FSSA, Braun to pause Medicaid disenrollments for Hoosiers in disaster zones
State Rep. Carey Hamilton (D-Indianapolis) is echoing calls from fellow House Democrats for the FSSA and Gov. Mike Braun to ensure Hoosiers in disaster-affected areas of the state can keep their Medicaid coverage and in-home care in the wake of severe weather.
On Aug. 11, multiple parts of the state were hit by a derecho and historic flooding, killing at least seven Hoosiers and displacing more than 1,000. President Trump declared a federal major disaster declaration for 21 counties on Aug. 25. In Northwest Indiana, the storms caused the largest power outage in NIPSCO's history. Tens of thousands of residents in that area remained without power for nearly two weeks. Indianapolis residents also faced significant flood damage.
Hamilton is joining other House Democrats in calling on the state to take three specific actions for residents in the affected counties.
Pause procedural Medicaid terminations. Direct FSSA to suspend disenrollments for beneficiaries in disaster-declared counties who cannot complete a renewal or return requested paperwork because of the storm, so no eligible Hoosier loses coverage over a form that was washed away, a notice that never arrived or lack of access to the virtual FSSA Benefits Portal.
Extend deadlines for waiver level-of-care assessments. Extend the deadlines for level-of-care assessments and reassessments under Indiana's Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers, and allow them to be completed by phone or video, so seniors, people with disabilities and medically fragile Hoosiers do not lose in-home service.
Use every available tool to do it. Move now on the steps the state can take on its own, and pursue federal flexibilities, including an 1135 waiver and a disaster relief state plan amendment, that make these protections airtight.
"Throughout the state, many Hoosiers are rebuilding their homes, replacing the groceries – and maybe medication – they lost during the power outage, and settling back into their normal routines," Hamilton said. "In the wake of historic flooding and severe storms, it's not shocking that paperwork might get lost, or that a person simply trying to survive in their home might miss a deadline for returning paperwork. We need to be looking out for one another, and these action items are just a few steps to ensure that vulnerable Hoosiers don't lose vital care because of these storms and flooding."