CMS activates Washington wildfire PHE flexibilities retroactive to August 1

CMS announced August 10 that resources, blanket waivers, and other flexibilities are available for Washington providers affected by the Fairview, Autumn Lane, and Old Trails fires near Spokane County. The fires began August 1 and continue; HHS declared the public health emergency August 7, and CMS made the provider flexibilities retroactive to August 1.

The notice also points to the CMS 1135 request form for additional case-specific relief, the Medicaid/CHIP disaster toolkit, ESRD Network 16 dialysis coordination, replacement of Medicare durable medical equipment damaged or lost in the fires, and Part D out-of-network and refill-too-soon protections for displaced beneficiaries.

CMS refers to affected providers, hospitals, and other facilities generally; it does not name an FQHC or establish that every waiver applies automatically to every health-center service. The notice also does not grant HRSA scope-of-project, award, reporting, or site-visit relief; affected health centers must pursue any HRSA program or grant flexibility separately.