Texans For Texas

Gov. Perry Seeks Assurance of Full Reimbursement of Health Care Expenses

‘No State Could Absorb Tremendous Costs’ of Health Care for Evacuees

AUSTIN – Gov. Rick Perry today asked Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt for assurances that Texas would get 100 percent reimbursement for the cost of providing Medicaid and other services to the more than 200,000 Hurricane Katrina evacuees that found sanctuary in Texas.

Following up on early indications today that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services planned to ask Texas to absorb the normal state match for providing Medicaid services, Perry wrote Leavitt that the federal government should pay the full costs.

“Clearly, no state in America could absorb the tremendous financial costs associated with meeting this public health challenge under current guidelines that require states to pay a portion of Medicaid coverage,” Perry said in his letter to Leavitt. “Without the guarantee of total federal funding for Medicaid services for evacuees in Texas, Texas taxpayers will be forced to bear a financial burden that, in effect, punishes them for opening their hearts and homes to fellow Americans in need.”

Texas taxpayers likely would have to pay millions of dollars in state funds to meet the matching requirement on Medicaid services for storm victims that the state of Louisiana and FEMA officials asked Texas to house.

In his letter, Perry also asked Leavitt to provide Texas with the flexibility it needs to ensure that Louisiana residents get the health care they need while they are staying in Texas.

“Without full federal indemnification, Texas will have to continue to access Louisiana client eligibility files and enroll thousands of Texas physicians, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and other providers into Louisiana’s Medicaid program,” Perry wrote. “If the current rules remain in place, this would be the only economically feasible option for Texas. However, such a burden would undoubtedly force thousands of evacuees to wait for critically needed care. Additionally, it seems extremely unlikely that Louisiana, given the enormity of the burden the state is facing, will be able to pay the incoming Medicaid bills.”

Summary of Major State Actions in Assisting Hurricane Katrina Evacuees for 9/7/05

Shelters

  • The numbers in Texas shelters is decreasing as evacuees are reunited with family and friends.
  • We estimate that there are approximately 97,000 evacuees currently being sheltered in Texas at official Red Cross run shelters and civic and faith-based shelters.
  • Officials estimate another 105,000 evacuees are residing in hotels and other locations. Texas is awaiting a final decision from FEMA to authorize the payment for lodging for individuals who are in hotels and running out of money.
  • On Sept. 1, the Governor requested an Emergency Declaration, which President Bush has approved, making Texas eligible for a portion of the $10.5 billion in federal aid passed by Congress. Texas and all 254 counties are eligible for 100 percent reimbursement of costs associated with providing aid to Louisiana residents.

Education

  • The Texas Education Agency is providing assistance to local schools to assist evacuees in registering for school. The Texas Education Agency established a toll-free hotline to assist parents who evacuated from Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. That number is 1-800-957-5109 and is being answered 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Texas public schools report they have enrolled at least 10,915 school-age evacuees in classes.
  • TEA also established a toll-free number,1- 800-435-7090, for Louisiana teachers seeking teaching opportunities in Texas.
  • The Higher Education Coordinating Board continues to assist students Louisiana residents enrolling in Texas colleges and universities. As a result of the disaster declaration, college students displaced by Hurricane Katrina are eligible for in-state tuition rates at Texas colleges and universities.

Job Training and Placement

  • The Texas Workforce Commission is assisting Louisiana workers who have lost their jobs due to Hurricane Katrina. They can apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) by calling 1-800-818-7811 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Employers wishing to hire displaced Louisiana workers can call 1-800-695-6879 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
  • The U.S. Department of Labor has made up to $75 million available to the Texas Workforce commission in helping Louisiana evacuees get back to work.

Housing

  • FEMA has authorized cities and counties to pay the travel expenses of evacuees looking at permanent housing options with family/friends in cities around the U.S.
  • FEMA has authorized cities and counties to pay for temporary housing assistance for evacuees from 12-18 months (ie. apartments, hotels).
  • FEMA began debit cards for $2,000 to adult evacuees. Distribution began at the Astrodome and will occur at other shelters as FEMA sets up the debit card process in other locations.
  • The Office of Rural Community Affairs has made $1 million in disaster relief funds available to rural Texas cities and counties providing shelter to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Grants will provide a maximum of $50,000 per shelter for improvements and renovations to address emergency shelter needs related to Hurricane Katrina disaster. Available funds will be on a “first-come, first-serve” basis. The application is posted at www.orca.state.tx.us.
  • Gov. Perry has issued an Executive Order suspending both the state and local hotel/motel taxes for the next 60 days for Louisiana evacuees. In some cities, that could mean as much as a 17 percent reduction in the costs.
  • The IRS has approved the waiver request submitted by Gov. Perry that will allow an estimated 18,000 vacant income eligible housing units to be used by Louisianans displaced by Hurricane Katrina.
  • State officials also are working with the Texas Apartment Association to identify other vacant apartments that could be used for long-term Louisiana residents could

Health and Human Services

  • The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is helping identify food stamp eligible individuals and those who need prescription drug support. HHSC has provided Texas pharmacies and providers information on how to assist Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama residents on Medicaid who need to fill their prescriptions or obtain services in Texas. Participating chain pharmacy locations include: CVS, RiteAid, Walgreens, Walmart, HEB and Kroger.
  • HHSC has provided more than 60,000 Louisiana families with emergency food stamps over the past week. HHSC developed a rapid application process to speed the processing of the cases and will begin using the new process today. HHSC has established offices in the Disaster Recovery Centers in Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Beaumont.
  • The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) is assessing the long term/short term medical care needs and other special arrangements for evacuees who are hospital patients, medically fragile, injured, ill or have other special needs.
  • DSHS is providing more than 800 WIC (Women, Infants and Children Program) clients access to food and nutrition benefits in Texas. DSHS is expediting licensing for certain healthcare professionals, including respiratory care practitioners, medical radiological technologists and social workers.
  • Adult Protective Services (APS) maintains an established presence in all of the major shelters around the state. APS staff are working to place elderly and “special needs” adults.
  • Child Protective Services (CPS) has staff in all major shelters and several smaller shelters. CPS staff continue to be in regular contact with Louisiana CPS staff. Louisiana CPS has asked Texas CPS and law enforcement to receive the children and ensure proper identification of an adult taking custody. Louisiana CPS is handling background checks and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children are overseeing the flights.
  • Statewide Intake is receiving calls regarding missing children and is referencing www.missingkids.com/1-800-THE-LOST prior to forwarding the inquiry to CPS field staff.
  • The Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) is providing shelters with wheelchairs and durable medical equipment. DARS also provides interpreter services for deaf and hard of hearing evacuees.

Additional Assistance:

  • Governor Perry has activated the OneStar Foundation to act as a volunteer/donation clearinghouse for anyone in the country wishing to donate cash and non-cash items, food or volunteer. Some 400 hundred phone lines have been established to handle calls. 1-800-707-6768 or www.OneStarFoundation.org.
  • Texas Forest Service’s Lone Star State Incident Management Team is responsible for distribution of water, ice and food for hurricane victims still located in Louisiana. Distribution area covers about 8,000 square miles south and east of Baton Rouge. This past weekend six local distribution centers served 94,912 hurricane victims with water, ice and Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs).
  • The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) has deployed staff to the disaster recovery centers (DRCs) to assist Hurricane Katrina evacuees with their insurance questions and claims, including workers’ compensation claims. DRCs are located at 2575 W. Bellfort in Houston, Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio and Reunion Center in Dallas. Injured workers should call TDI’s Division of Workers’ Compensation at 1-800-372-7713. For additional resources, a list of insurance carriers that have set up disaster hot lines to help their policyholders, consumers may visit the TDI Hurricane Katrina Assistance webpage at: http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/consumer/katrina.html.
  • The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is providing a toll free number for displaced probation or parole offenders to call that will assist in identifying their location as well as securing supervision for these offenders. The number, operated by the Parole Division’s Command Center, will be monitored 24 hours per day. The hotline number is 1-866-680-6667. The Parole Division is coordinating with the Texas Interstate Compact Office and has agreed to provide emergency reporting instructions and supervision to any Louisiana offenders. Those offenders identified will be supervised until they depart the state.
  • Hurricane evacuees may dial 2-1-1 for around-the-clock information about evacuations, shelters and other resources. Due to the uncertainty of cell phone access from providers outside of Texas, the 2-1-1 Texas system has implemented a toll-free number, 1-888-312-4567, for disaster information.

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