Lindas Yoga Class

f:

As America turns its attention to New Orleans on the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN), has put out a call nationwide for RN volunteers in the event that tropical storm Gustav overwhelms nearby healthcare services, RNRN announced.

“RNRN has been in communication with the community totally free clinics that arose from the aftermath of Katrina and we will be monitoring the situation all throughout the Labor Day weekend to see when and if the services of our RN volunteers are needed,” stated Bonnie Castillo RN, and director with the RNRN. “In the meantime we will be screening RNs as to their availability and expertise.”

As the storm gathers strength, and Mississippi and Louisiana are placed on high alert, residents express grave concerns that their basic healthcare needs will be ignored, again.

“Katrina revealed some ugly truths about our nation’s failure to care for its citizens in the wake of a natural disaster, and here we go again,” stated Kim Lange, a New Orleans native, nurse practitioner, and RNRN member. “And we are still not prepared these days. We need a national healthcare system that has the capability of stepping in at the time of impact and providing the healthcare services needed.”

In conjunction with today’s anniversary, RNRN has also released a new video, Broken Levees Broken Lives, that examines the collapse with the city’s healthcare system, which can viewed at http://www.GuaranteedHealthcare.org. The video explores the ongoing crisis through the first-person accounts of nurses, doctors, city officials and nearby residents who are still struggling under appalling healthcare conditions following Katrina. The new video offers ways to take action, which includes passage of HR 676 and contributing much- needed funds to the community wellness clinics featured inside the piece.

About CNA/NNOC’s 2005 Katrina Effort

CNA/NNOC sent more than 300 nurses to 25 hospitals, clinics, and mobile units in Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi in response to the 2005 hurricanes, such as a group of 50 RNs who arrived at the Houston Astrodome in the first few weeks. The organization provided half of the RN staff at Earl K. Long Memorial Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., for the two months following Katrina when patient rolls doubled.

This effort eventually became the Registered Nurse Response Network (RNRN) and now has more than 4,000 members. RNRN is designed to provide support and coordination for volunteer nurses when disaster strikes, allowing RNs to focus on providing patient care. RNRN works with federal and state agencies to resolve issues of medical credentials and licenses for out-of-state nurse volunteers.

To find out more about the RN Response Network, visit http://www.RNresponsenetwork.org. RNRN is a project with the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee.

Background on the Current State of New Orlean’s Healthcare crisis

The tragedy of the collapse of the public health safety net in New Orleans, caused by the controversial closure of Charity Hospital and its network of community clinics, is underscored by the findings of a recent study that points to an increasingly sicker population within the city. The Kaiser Family Foundation survey released on Aug. 13 found that 84 percent of adults living in New Orleans face ongoing wellness challenges and there has been a substantial deterioration in residents’ mental well being status.

Moreover, a recent article inside the American Journal with the Medical Sciences noted that Charity Hospital – which is featured prominently within the RNRN video – “was the center with the greater New Orleans safety-net system for the past 269 years [and] the dominant source of care for the indigent population, serving 63 percent of the uninsured.” A recent structural assessment of Charity unveiled Wednesday estimated it could be rehabilitated in 3 years at a cost of $484 million. Building a new hospital would take five years and cost $620 million, the report says.

With these conditions as a backdrop – and with other public hospitals facing financial difficulties and closures around the country – many medical professionals, patients, and other community leaders inside and outside of New Orleans are calling for the passage of HR 676, a national “Medicare for All” system and its promise of guaranteed healthcare on the single-payer model that is succeeding in every other industrialized democracy.

Healthcare Professionals, Patients, Community Activist Featured in Broken Levees, Broken Lives Available for Comment:

In conjunction with the release of this video, RNRN is also making available a number of individuals featured inside the video who can talk about the healthcare crisis in New Orleans, such as -

-Alice Craft-Kearney, RN and Patricia Berryhill, RN: Two nurses who founded the Lower 9th Ward Health Clinic from Berryhill’s personal home of over 30 years where she raised her children and prepared meals for the neighborhood football team. The home was flooded towards the rooftop and completely rehabbed with help from community volunteers to from the now-pristine and desperately needed cost-free well being clinic.

-Cecile Tebo, NOLA Police Dept. Crisis Unit Administrator: Saw an increase in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide following the storm, yet there had been no psychiatric beds for two years with the closure of Charity Hospital – the second-largest public hospital within the nation. She reports that there’s been little improvement.

-Kim Lange, Nurse Practitioner: A native with the Lower 9th Ward, Kim joined RNRN immediately following the storm and volunteered at the Lower 9th Ward Clinic.

-Dr. James Moises, MD: Emergency room physician (formerly at Charity Hospital, which remains closed three years post-Katrina)

California Nurses Association

Current Article Ratings:
Patient / Public:

1 (1 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt right now announced that HHS personnel will assist the states of Louisiana and Texas in evacuating an estimated 900 special medical needs patients these days and in providing care for evacuated patients. The assistance is part of HHS’ aid to states as they prepare for the expected landfall of Hurricane Gustav.

“Our thoughts are with those potentially within the path of Hurricane Gustav,” Secretary Leavitt stated. “HHS is working closely with the states and rapidly mobilizing medical personnel and necessary resources to be ready to help those impacted by this major storm.”

HHS has activated the National Disaster Medical System, a federally coordinated operation that can assist state and local officials in dealing with major disasters. HHS also is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as well as the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to provide air evacuation of 500 medical patients in Texas and an estimated 500 by air from Louisiana.

HHS personnel are assisting the state of Mississippi and will assist the state of Alabama to evacuate medical patients by ground to wellness care facilities within the states. As part of this care, HHS has placed two Federal Medical Stations, each with a 250-bed capacity, setup in Texas and four in Louisiana to provide low-critical care to residents throughout the emergency. HHS also has caches of medical supplies in location in the Gulf region, with additional caches of medical supplies ready to deploy as necessary.

In preparation for evacuation and for medical care for the duration of and post-landfall of Hurricane Gustav, HHS has coordinated with federal agency partners to provide 600 ambulances, 20 air ambulances and 4,000 paratransit seats. Paratransit vehicles are specially equipped to transport individuals with disabilities.

Patients are moving to well being care facilities in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and other areas of Texas. In addition, hospitals in Iowa, Kansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky that are in the National Disaster Medical System can receive additional patients if needed.

Approximately 1,100 HHS personnel are in place right now, which includes members of Disaster Medical Assistance Teams which provide emergency medical response. An additional 450 Public Wellness Service Commissioned Corps officers have been deployed by Assistant Secretary for Well being Dr. Joxel Garcia, an admiral within the Commissioned Corps.

Medical Reserve Corps units in southwestern Alabama have been also been activated. Medical Reserve Corps units in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee are on standby, ready to augment the state and local response to Hurricane Gustav.

Medical Reserve Corps units, which are locally based, organize and utilize volunteers who supplement existing emergency and public well being resources. These personnel can assist state and other federal personnel with patient evacuations and medical support for the general population during evacuations. They also can provide medical support after landfall.

Teams from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will support state officials in tracking potential public well being issues, which includes diseases transmitted by insects such as mosquitoes.

Teams from HHS human services agencies will work with special requirements populations. For instance, the Administration on Aging has been facilitating discussions with directors of state agencies that aid the aging, to help coordinate preparation to ensure the requirements with the elderly are met. Liaisons from the Indian Health Service are working with state officials and tribes to ensure state requests for assistance are met.

Using a human services case management program, HHS experts will coordinate with states to connect individuals with special desires to social services for which they may be eligible following a disaster, which includes child care. This pilot program is in addition to FEMA disaster services.

The National Institute of Health’s Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare has reached out to grantee institutions inside the Gulf area regarding protecting animals these organizations may house.

The HHS Secretary’s Operations Center, which operates 24 hours a day, remains in constant communication with federal, state and local emergency management operations inside the affected states. HHS liaisons are in place in state operations centers and the federal regional coordination centers within the Gulf States.

The HHS Web site homepage is featuring a link to public wellness and safety information specifically related to hurricanes at http://www.hhs.gov/hurricane.

http://www.hhs.gov

f:

Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Executive Vice President and Nurse Alliance Chair Dian Palmer, RN, issued the following statement regarding the work getting done by SEIU nurses and leaders across the country in anticipation with the health impacts of Hurricane Gustav:

“As Hurricane Gustav bears down on the Gulf Coast, leaders with the Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare are mobilizing RNs and medical supplies to arrive as soon as possible to areas threatened by the storm.

“Drawing on their experiences as first responders to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the RN leaders have activated a rapid response system to be able to deploy first responders, and will be working with our partner hospitals and institutions to jointly collect and donate the needed medical supplies such as nebulizers, vaccines, gloves, masks, and medications necessary to deliver competent care to evacuees and victims with the impending storm.

“SEIU ValueCare ValueNurses RN Daniel Rubalcaba has been on the ground since Saturday in Beaumont, Texas, where he is caring for medically fragile patients at the Memorial Herman Baptist Hospital. Daniel is working with the union’s national leadership and nearby authorities to determine and service the areas of greatest need.

“In 2005, SEIU deployed more than 100 RNs along with truckloads of medical supplies to provide care for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Along with the first responders, the union also sent two of its Mobile Action Center trailers to the location to provide phone and internet access to thousands of evacuees.

“Time is of the essence, and SEIU stands ready to do its part to assist the families that live within the storm’s path. We will go as soon as feasible and we will stay as long as needed.”

For up-to-date information on SEIU’s relief efforts, or if you are a Registered Nurse interested in volunteering for the effort, learn more and sign up at http://www.valuecarevaluenurses.org.

The Nurse Alliance of SEIU Healthcare is the largest national nurse organization, made up of more than 85,000 registered nurses working together to raise standards for their profession and patient care. Because the Alliance is part of SEIU Healthcare – the nation’s largest healthcare union – nurses are working with more than one million health care workers to change the face of health care in America.

Service Staff International Union (SEIU)
http://www.seiu.org

f:

The Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is working with numerous federal agencies and voluntary organizations to support state and neighborhood authorities in their early response to Hurricane Gustav. President Bush has issued pre-landfall Emergency Disaster Declarations for Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi which enables federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts

The initial focus is on helping to coordinate evacuations and preparing for the response within the immediate aftermath of the storm. To date, shelters have opened in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The 69 open shelters have the capacity to house 30,836 evacuees, though currently there are only 2,343 occupants.

In an example of interagency coordination: the U.S. Postal Service and also the U.S. Department of the Treasury delivered Railroad Retirement, Office of Personnel Management, Veteran’s Administration, Social Security Administration (SSA) checks on Friday and Saturday across the Gulf Coast region. SSA will issue an on-the-spot replacement check at relocation centers for individuals who may have evacuated prior to the weekend.

While the primary focus is on the preparations and response to Hurricane Gustav, FEMA also has an interagency planning team working with states on the Atlantic coast to prepare for Tropical Storm Hanna, which could impact Southeastern or Gulf Coast states later inside the week. FEMA encourages all residents inside the region not inside the areas immediately being evacuated to make final personal preparations to be able to meet their basic desires for 72-hours after landfall. Information is available at www.Ready.gov on how families and individuals can best prepare before the storm.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

-FEMA has the lead in coordinating the plans and preparatory activities numerous federal agencies are taking. FEMA’s National Response Coordination Center and Regional Response Coordination Centers in Atlanta, Ga., and Denton, Texas, are operating around the clock, coordinating the prepositioning of assets and responding to state requests for assistance.

DHS/FEMA continued

- FEMA’s emergency teams and resources are becoming deployed and configured for coordinated response. FEMA has pre-staged life-saving and life-sustaining commodities such water, meals, and tarps in various strategic locations to be made available to residents of affected areas (see attached slide with the most current data), including millions of meals and bottles of water, nearly 500 emergency generators, and hundreds of thousands of tarps, blankets and cots.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG)

-USCG units within the projected landfall are taking actions to ensure personnel are ready to evacuate in time to steer clear of the storm, whilst simultaneously relocating personnel to continuity of operations locations to maintain situational awareness, command and control, and to ensure a seamless transition from preparedness to response operations.

-The maritime community and boating public are strongly urged to track Gustav’s progress and take early action to protect themselves and their vessels. Extremely high seas, heavy rains and damaging winds that accompany tropical storms and hurricanes present serious dangers to mariners.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

-ICE’s top priorities in any emergency are life-saving and life-sustaining activities, preventing the loss of property towards the extent possible, and assisting with a speedy recovery of the affected region

-There are no immigration enforcement operations, and there are no immigration enforcement checkpoints associated with the evacuations.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

-CBP is providing 20 law enforcement personnel to conduct and help protect Search & Rescue efforts as well as to help with evacuation and contra-flow traffic issues.

-CBP will provide aircraft reconnaissance and imagery to improve situational awareness.

Department of Defense (DOD)
U.S. National Guard Bureau (NGB)

-Approximately 7,000 National Guard members have been called up and are working with civil authorities in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama to assist displaced citizens and to prepare for hurricane landfall.

-Nearly 400,000 National Guard Citizen-Soldiers and -Airmen, such as nearly 110,000 inside the Gulf Coast region, are trained and equipped to help save lives and ease suffering.

- The Texas National Guard is sending 10 rotary wing and six C-130 aircraft to Louisiana to extract nearly 1,000 special-needs men and women from the New Orleans area.

U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM)

-NORTHCOM, working with U.S. Transportation Command, has provided contracted airlift and begun to move up to 16,000 general population passengers and cargo. The airlift is moving passengers from New Orleans to Nashville, Tenn.; San Antonio, Texas; Louisville, Ky.; and Ft. Smith, Ark.

-Department of Defense aeromedical evacuation capabilities have begun for evacuations for up to 1,000 patients for Louisiana and up to 500 patients for Texas.

- Department of Defense medium and heavy lift rotary wing aircraft are conducting movement of personnel and supplies in support of disaster operations.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

- USACE has alerted and begun deploying to the Gulf Coast both neighborhood and regional teams from across the nation to assist in debris removal, commodities procurement and delivery, temporary emergency power, temporary housing, temporary roofing, infrastructure assessment, and support to urban search and rescue missions.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

- DOT deployed team of transportation experts to assist states with their evacuation procedures and produce bus and rail car safety inspections as needed.

- Air traffic control is working to support air evacuations, with standby mobile air traffic control equipment on standby in Houston to serve as back ups in case storm damages equipment.

U.S. Department of Treasury (Treasury)

-Treasury is working to expedite check and direct deposit payments in the affected areas for certain federal benefits that are scheduled for regular delivery inside the first week of the month.

- Treasury, through the Federal Reserve, has requested that financial institutions inside the Gulf Coast states honor the paper checks and consider making Direct Deposit payments available.

U.S. Postal Service (USPS)

- USPS is working closely with various federal agencies to support state and neighborhood authorities with their evacuation efforts.

- USPS delivered Railroad Retirement, Office of Personnel Management, Veteran’s Administration, Social Security Administration checks Friday & Saturday for the Gulf Coast areas from Tallahassee Florida to McAllen Texas.

- On Friday August 29, and Saturday August 30, monthly benefit checks for customers in potential Hurricane impacted areas were processed and delivered. Nearly 400,000 men and women in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have received their Social Security checks rather than on September 3rd, the regularly scheduled payment day.

- USPS has procedures in place to help customers reestablish connection with their lives through the mail. Customers are encouraged to file change of address cards as soon as they have relocated. Filing can be done in 3 ways: on-line, at http://www.usps.com; in person at any post office, station or branch; or by phone at 1-800 ASK USPS (1-800-275-8777).

- USPS is working closely with the Social Security Administration and other agencies to continue disbursing checks that have not been received. Customers are encouraged to go towards the Social Security website, http://www.ssa.gov and click on the Hurricane Gustav link for more information.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

-DOE has activated its Strategic Petroleum Reserve Emergency Operations Center for 24-hour operations in Monroe, Louisiana. It will coordinate any distribution from the Reserve.

-DOE has 15 responders deployed towards the FEMA National and Regions Response Coordination Centers. Staff are also deployed to Pennsylvania in preparation for Tropical Storm Hanna.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

-NOAA’s National Hurricane Center is continuing to monitor the track and intensity of Hurricane Gustav. The center will issue watches and warnings to affected areas as needed.

-NOAA aircraft are flying missions into Hurricane Gustav providing data on the storm for research and operational forecasts. NOAA’s geostationary and polar orbiting satellites are also providing valuable data to hurricane forecasters.

- NOAA post-landfall functions such as navigation response teams, hazardous materials incident scientific support are becoming staged and prepared for deployment.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

-USDA responded to a state request and funded the purchase of infant formula and baby food that will be delivered on Aug. 31 to the two large shelters set up in Alexandria and Shreveport.

-The State of Louisiana requested a waiver for early issuance of food stamp benefits which USDA approved on Aug. 30.

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

-More than 600 SBA disaster personnel are standing by to deploy into the disaster impact location. An additional 500 disaster reservists are prepared to staff the agency’s Disaster Loan Processing and Disbursement Center in Ft. Worth, Texas, as well as the Disaster Customer Service Center in Buffalo, NY

-The SBA coordinates with federal and state emergency management agencies within the initial post-disaster damage assessment, and works with federal and state partners to provide information about disaster recovery assistance in the form of low-interest loans for homeowners, renters, non-profit organizations and businesses of all sizes. The majority of disaster loans approved by the SBA–about 80%–go to homeowners and renters.

Department of Justice (DOJ)

-DOJ and federal law enforcement agencies are carefully monitoring the path of Hurricane Gustav and making appropriate preparations in order to respond towards the storms landfall.

- Federal Law Enforcement Agencies are setting up command posts and positioning appropriate response teams. Currently, 2,700 interagency personnel from federal law enforcement agencies have been placed on standby. These resources consist of uniformed officers with marked vehicles, criminal investigators, and tactical teams from Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshal Service, and Customs and Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, FPC, Drug Enforcement Agency, Office of Personnel Management’s Office with the Inspector General, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Homeland Security’s Office with the Inspector General, and U.S. Mint Police.

U.S. Department with the Interior (DOI)

- DOI’s U.S. Geological Survey is deploying temporary storm surge sensors in New Orleans, La.

- DOI has deployed 30 Search & Rescue boat units from the National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

- DOI’s Minerals Management Service has activated its “Continuity of Operations Plan” team to monitor activities of Gulf of Mexico offshore oil and gas operators

American Red Cross (ARC)

-This is the largest Red Cross relief effort since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Red Cross has stood up relief operations in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. ARC’s first priority throughout this disaster is to provide folks with food, shelter and emotional support. As men and women leave their houses, ARC staff are on the receiving end to provide shelter and to make them as comfortable as possible in our shelters.

-ARC is prepared to shelter more than 150,000 folks within the four affected states, as well as those states that have agreed to host evacuees. Together, with its partners, ARC has the capacity to provide nearly 650,000 meals per day post-landfall.

- ARC is reaching out to underserved communities with partner groups, including: the NAACP, the National Immigration Law Center, the Southern Baptist Convention and Catholic Charities.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

-In response to a possible activation for oil and hazardous materials response, EPA’s Regional Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been brought to a heightened state of alert. EPA has personnel at the FEMA Regional Response and Coordination Center in Atlanta and is providing staff towards the Mississippi EOC and the Alabama EOC.

- EPA regional water program offices are coordinating with states in preparation for potential support should the storm impact the water sector and overwhelm neighborhood and state capabilities.

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

-NRC dispatched additional staff to nuclear power plants in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. One plant, Waterford about 20 miles west of New Orleans, planned to shut down late Sunday as the storm approached.

- NRC requires plants to shut down if winds hit hurricane strength. They may not restart without permission from the NRC and assurance from FEMA that evacuation routes are open.

U.S. Department of Well being and Human Services (HHS)

-HHS agencies continue to work closely with federal, states and nearby agencies to coordinate the public health and medical response.

-HHS has activated the National Disaster Medical System, a federally coordinated operation that can assist state and local officials in dealing with major disasters. HHS also is working with FEMA along with the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to provide air evacuation of 500 medical patients in Texas and an estimated 500 by air from Louisiana.

-HHS has placed Federal Medical Stations, each with a 250-bed capacity, in Texas and Louisiana to provide low-critical care to residents during the emergency. HHS has caches of medical supplies in location within the Gulf region, with additional caches ready to deploy.

-Teams from HHS human services agencies will work with special needs populations. For instance, the Administration on Aging has been facilitating discussions with directors of state agencies that aid the aging, to help coordinate preparation to ensure the requirements of the elderly are met. Liaisons from the Indian Wellness Service are working with state officials and tribes to ensure state requests for assistance are met.

FEMA coordinates the federal government’s role in preparing for, preventing, mitigating the effects of, responding to, and recovering from all domestic disasters, no matter whether natural or man-made, such as acts of terror. For more information on FEMA activities visit www.FEMA.gov and for more information on personal preparedness see http://www.Ready.gov.

http://www.Ready.gov

f:

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt declared a public health emergency on Sunday, August 31, to ensure that individuals, including those enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid along with the State Children’s Wellness Insurance Program (SCHIP), in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama continue to receive their health care items and services.

- Declaration of Public Well being Emergency
- Health Care Waivers
-U.S. House of Representatives Notification
- U.S. Senate Notification
- Legal Authorities

U.S. Department of Well being and Human Services

f:

Nearly 45,000 men and women woke up in 334 Red Cross shelters this morning, spread out more than 8 states. Many are faced with the unknowns that are sadly all too familiar, realizing that it could be days before they know how their property or possessions had been affected by Gustav. Thankfully, these residents do know that they are safe and will be well taken care of by the Red Cross although they wait for the storm to pass.

Food, shelter and emotional support – providing these basic life-saving necessities to residents is the top priority with the Red Cross within the early days of this storm. The Red Cross is committed to keeping individuals are comfortable as possible until they are able to return home.

The Red Cross urges residents not to attempt to return home until officials tell you it is safe for you to go back. Even if the storm has passed through your region, there is still a danger. Flooded roads, downed power lines, debris – all are major hazards

If you or a loved has evacuated, or is in a potentially affected region, register yourself on the Red Cross Safe and Well Website at www.redcross.org, or call a loved one and ask them to register you. The Red Cross provides this online tool to help families and individuals notify loved ones that they are safe in the course of an emergency, which can help bring peace of mind in challenging times.

You can help men and women affected by thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. We use this fund to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disasters who need our help.

Donors can go online to http://www.redcross.org or call 1-800-REDCROSS. You can also use your cell phone to donate $5 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund by text messaging the keyword “GIVE” to “2HELP” (24357). Donations will appear on monthly bills or be debited from a prepaid account balance. All applicable text rates apply. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, you should call 1-800-REDCROSS.

ALL American Red Cross disaster assistance is free of charge, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American folks. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift towards the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so in the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions towards the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your nearby American Red Cross chapter or towards the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org.

American Red Cross

f:

HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt declared a public health emergency to ensure that individuals, including those enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and also the State Children’s Wellness Insurance Program (SCHIP), in Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama continue to receive their wellness care items and services.

“Hurricane Gustav is quickly approaching the Gulf Coast and the actions we are taking should immediately help our beneficiaries and providers, as well as some of the area’s most vulnerable patients, in communities where hospitals and other well being care delivery systems are affected,” said Secretary Leavitt. “These actions will allow beneficiaries to continue to receive their well being care services when they leave their communities as encouraged by their local officials.”

Given the potential impact of Hurricane Gustav on the health care of hundreds of thousands of affected beneficiaries in these states, Secretary Leavitt declared the public well being emergency under section 319 of the Public Well being Service Act, and, under section 1135 of the Social Security Act, waived or modified certain Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP requirements. States can submit waiver requests through their Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Regional Offices.

“HHS and CMS have the flexibility to take steps ensuring that vital health care services can be maintained for our beneficiaries,” stated CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems. “Many with the agency’s normal operating procedures will be temporarily relaxed so well being care services will continue to be provided to the elderly, folks with disabilities and vulnerable children as they leave the areas affected by the hurricane.”

CMS will take the following actions, among others, to ensure sufficient items and services are available to meet the need of Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP beneficiaries. The agency will make certain that health care providers that provide items and services in good faith are exempt from sanctions for noncompliance with otherwise applicable requirement, provided there is no fraud or abuse.

CMS will waive certain program requirements for the following institutional providers:

-Critical Access Hospitals: Allow these hospitals to take more than the statutorily mandated limit of 25 patients and not count the expected longer lengths of stay for evacuated patients against the 96-hour average;

-Skilled Nursing Facilities: Waive the three-day prior hospitalization requirement for admission for evacuated patients and relax limitations on the benefit period for those evacuated patients;

-Long-Term Care Hospitals: Not count the evacuated patients in determining compliance with the 25 day average length of stay requirement;

-Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: Not count the evacuated patients in determining compliance with the 60 percent rule requirement. The 60 percent rule requires that a minimum of 60 percent of a facility’s patient population fall into certain clinical conditions.

CMS will expand the definition of “home” to allow those Medicare beneficiaries who are receiving home health services to receive those services in alternative sites.

For the Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit, CMS has been working with prescription drug plans to ensure that rules preventing early refills are waived. This will assist those beneficiaries who left their prescriptions in evacuated homes or lost their prescriptions when they had to leave their houses.

Beneficiaries in Medicare well being plans will be able to go out of network for the duration of this emergency. CMS is working with the health insurance industry to ensure there are no barriers to this service for those enrolled in these plans.

CMS will work with affected State Survey Agencies and providers to temporarily adjust quality assurance enforcement actions where the immediacy of direct patient care requirements due to Hurricane Gustav is appropriate.

End Stage Renal Disease Networks inside the Gulf States have already initiated arrangements to ensure the continuation of dialysis and well being services for end stage renal disease patients. Also, CMS will be working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency to manage lost, stolen, or abandoned durable medical equipment.

The HHS Web site homepage is featuring a link to public health and safety information specifically related to hurricanes at http://www.hhs.gov/hurricane. The Declaration along with the Waiver are available at Hurricane Gustav Public Health Actions.

http://www.hhs.gov

Current Article Ratings:
Patient / Public:

5 (1 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

The American Red Cross is responding to Hurricane Gustav by sheltering, feeding and providing emotional support to thousands of Gulf Coast residents. On our first major sheltering night, the Red Cross provided shelter to nearly 45,000 men and women in 344 shelters spread out more than 8 states. Red Cross offers the following resources for media usage:

1. Downloadable video files of Red Cross shelter in Jackson, Mississippi
2. Online Newsroom such as audio clips and photos
3.Downloadable public service announcements

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You’ll be able to help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions towards the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your nearby American Red Cross chapter or towards the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org.

American Red Cross

Flooding from Hurricane Gustav may result in contaminants from various sources being washed into streams, creeks, rivers and coastal waters. If flooding occurs, these waters may contain fecal material from overflowing sewage systems as well as other contaminants from a variety of sources.

“The Alabama Department of Public Wellness urges persons to use caution when coming into contact with these waters,” stated Dr. Donald Williamson, state health officer.

Although skin contact with flood waters does not by itself pose a serious wellness risk, there is a risk of disease from eating or drinking anything contaminated by flood water. If one has open cuts or sores that will be exposed to flood water, keep them as clean as possible by washing well with soap to control infection. If a wound develops redness, swelling or drainage, promptly seek medical attention.

Also, any fish or seafood caught from these waters should be thoroughly cooked prior to consumption. After handling fish and seafood, persons are reminded to thoroughly wash their hands with soap and clean water.

Alabama Department of Public Well being

f:

Although what was once Hurricane Gustav has weakened to a tropical depression, the American Red Cross urges all evacuees to stay away from affected areas until authorities deem it safe to return.

“We know people are eager to go home, especially if they think the danger has passed,”said Joe Becker, Senior Vice President of Disaster Services. “However, we ask that folks be patient, since conditions are still unsafe in many places.” If authorities have not given the all-clear for residents to return, they could be denied entry into their community. It is still hazardous to return to many areas, as Gustav has caused flooding and massive power outages, as well as downed power lines and trees. Tornadoes are also possible within the wake with the storm.

For residents still within the path of Tropical Depression Gustav who are experiencing power outages, the Red Cross offers this advice:

-Only use a flashlight for emergency lighting. Never use candles.
-Turn off electrical equipment you were using when the power went out.
-Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer.
-Do not run a generator inside a home or garage.
-If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home’s electrical system.
-Listen to local radio and television for updated information.

The Red Cross has 343 shelters open in 10 states, housing a population of nearly 60,000 individuals. Its many workers are providing evacuees with food, shelter and emotional support, and are prepared to do so until it is safe for individuals to go home. The Red Cross is also preparing to move into storm-hit areas in order to provide services to returning residents. Gustav has cost the Red Cross $20 million to date.

The Red Cross is now readying itself as a busy Atlantic Ocean brings tropical storms Hanna, Ike and Josephine.

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American folks. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Hurricanes of 2008, by making a financial gift towards the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so in the time of your donation. Call 1-800-RED CROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your neighborhood American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting http://www.redcross.org.

American Red Cross