FHCA Communications
LTC Emergency Prep Partner Briefings have ended. The recordings are listed below.
Health Facility Reporting System
Health Facility Reporting System (HFRS)
Reporting into HFRS for Hurricane Milton has been discontinued for all counties.
Assistance with Reporting
State of Emergency
EO 25-214 expands a state of emergency to 51 Florida counties ahead of Tropical Storm Milton: Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, DeSoto, Dixie, Duval, Flagler, Gilchrist, Glades, Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Levy, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Nassau, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, Suwannee, Taylor, Union and Volusia
Generator Fuel Requirement Reminder
During a state of emergency, nursing centers and assisted living facilities in the declared state of emergency counties, within 24 hours, must ensure there is sufficient fuel maintained onsite to power critical life safety equipment and ensure a safe indoor temperature for 96 hours, in accordance with the requirements of the Nursing Home and ALF Emergency Power Rules.
Staff Curfew Letter
Florida Department of Health, Healthcare Worker Curfew Letter (10/6//24) authorizes health care personnel to travel outside of established curfews.
AHCA Regulatory Updates
AHCA Hurricane Milton Webpage
Billing During Emergencies
Pursuant to the Medicaid Nursing Facility Services Handbook, if you evacuated your facility without discharging the resident, the originating facility may continue to bill Medicaid for reimbursement and then pay the receiving facility at a contracted rate for its services.
AHCA Key Medicaid Information for Fee-for-Service and Managed Care Providers
- AHCA will waive all prior authorization requirements for critical Medicaid services beginning September 25, 2024, until further notice.
- Early prescription refill edits have been lifted for all maintenance medications (Note: This does not apply to controlled substances).
- If a recipient requires critical Medicaid services beyond the limits stated in policy to maintain safety and health, providers can furnish the service.
- Transportation vendors should continue providing services to all Medicaid enrollees as long as they are able.
PASSR
- Under the current emergency, Preadmission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) processes are postponed until further notice by the Agency.
- Retroactively performed screenings or resident reviews must document the reason for delay in the completion of PASRR requirements.
- The Agency is waiving the PASRR process for recipients who evacuated due to an evacuation order or power outage and are admitted and discharged during the storm.
Overcapacity 408.821(2) Florida Statutes
Centers that are serving as receiving sites for facilities that evacuated are reminded that under 408.821(2) Florida Statutes, providers may exceed capacity for 15 days without notifying AHCA. Providers who plan to exceed their licensed capacity in accordance with their comprehensive emergency management plan for more than 15 days must request approval from AHCA as noted in s. 408.821(2), Florida Statutes. Requests for approval must be submitted to AHCA’s applicable licensing unit to continue at overcapacity. The request should include:
- The name and license number of the overcapacity facility;
- If applicable, the name of the evacuating facility and reason the evacuated facility cannot be occupied;
- Where the residents over licensed capacity are living in the facility (private room converted to semi-private; dining room; other locations in the building);
- A description of how staffing and supplies are maintained for residents over licensed capacity; and
- The total number of residents that the facility will be caring for over its licensed capacity.
Facility Re-entry
AHCA Office of Plans and Construction’s webpage
Nursing centers and ALFs that evacuate and want to re-occupy must ensure the facility is undamaged and all critical systems (e.g. electrical, medical gas, ventilation) are functional and staffing is sufficient. If power is not fully restored, even if generators are operational, facilities must receive approval from their county Emergency Management Offices (EMO) prior to re-entry. This ensures local EMOs are aware of your return should resources need to be diverted to support your center.
Facilities should also report to your county EMO all structural damage, no matter how small or large, for determining cost estimates for emergency management and funds distribution. If the nursing center is damaged, contact the AHCA Office of Plans and Construction (AHCA OPC) at 850-412-4477 to discuss damage and impact prior to re-occupancy.
Facilities with significant damage may need a survey by OPC or Field Operations to reopen, these facilities should provide updates in HFRS and review the Damage Assessment Guidelines
ALFs with damage should contact their County EMO.
Indoor Air Quality Procedures
- Centers that have experienced undesired water intrusion for extended periods of time can generate conditions which may erode indoor air quality and produce an environment detrimental to patients, residents and health care providers from exposure to mold. Water intrusion may also be caused by problems such as leakage through the roof, exterior walls, and windows, clogged HVAC drain pans, clogged sewage lines, or improperly functioning HVAC equipment that does not maintain proper humidity control within the building envelope. Regardless of the cause, once water has entered the center and wetted building materials, mold growth is likely to occur within 48 to 72 hours if the water is not immediately removed and building materials properly dried.
- AHCA has shared basic procedures centers can review to ensure indoor air quality will not adversely affect the environment of care. Click here to review.
Emergency Patient Lookup System
E-PLUS is available to assist medical providers and emergency response personnel with locating missing or displaced persons after the storm. Staff are available to assist with questions or to provide additional information on E-PLUS via email at: E-PLUS@ahca.myflorida.com.
Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services
Florida Department of Health Emergency Information
Office of Insurance Regulation Hurricane Ian Emergency Order
- The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has issued an Emergency Order for Hurricane Helene regarding the extension of grace periods, limitations on cancellations and nonrenewals, deemers and limitations on "use and file" filings, along with other miscellaneous provisions. This Emergency Order is issued to protect the public health, safety and welfare of all Florida policyholders.
- Hurricane Helene Emergency Order 400385-24-EO
Staffing
- Florida is part of the Nurse Licensure Compact. The Compact allows a nurse to have one multistate license in the primary state of residence and practice in other Compact states, while subject to each state's practice laws and discipline. Employers can confirm a nurse's license and receive a Licensure QuickConfirm report at www.nursys.com.
- DOH Emergency Order 24-004: Suspends for any health care professional listed below that holds a valid, unrestricted, and unencumbered license in any state, territory, and/or district while providing services necessary to prepare for, respond to, or mitigate the effects of Hurricane Milton (CNAs, APRNs, RNs, LPNs, Physicians, Osteopathic Physicians, PAs, Paramedics, EMTs)
- Georgia Board of Nursing Out of State Licensed Nurses Practicing In Healthcare/Public Health Systems in Georgia during an Emergency or Disaster
In response to the state of emergency declared by Governor Kemp, the Georgia Board of Nursing implemented Policy 1.14 on the evening of September 27, 2024. This policy permits licensed practical nurses (LPNs) and registered nurses (RNs) with active, unencumbered licenses from other states to practice in recognized healthcare systems in Georgia, including public health, during emergencies or disasters. For more details, refer to Policy 1.14 here. Email questions to the GA Board of Nursing at nursing@sos.ga.gov.
- State of Alabama Emergency Order
Allows for licensed healthcare facilities in Alabama to accepts displaced individuals during Hurricane Helene
- Incite Workforce Solutions Powered By SnapCare
Non-profit and government-owned facilities' staffing expenses may qualify for up to 100% reimbursement through FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Program.
Reimbursement
Billing During Emergencies
Pursuant to the Medicaid Nursing Facility Services Handbook, if you evacuated your facility without discharging the resident, the originating facility may continue to bill Medicaid for reimbursement and then pay the receiving facility at a contracted rate for its services
CMS Offers Accelerated and Advance Payments to Medicare Providers and Suppliers in Hurricane Disaster Zones
CMS has announced that it will support providers and suppliers impacted by Hurricane Helene within the FEMA disaster zones, under the President’s major disaster declarations. To apply, Medicare providers and suppliers in need of this assistance should contact their assigned Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). Read more.
Utility Partners/Power Updates
Communicating with Florida’s utility providers during an emergency or during construction projects can be facilitated through online portals.
