MONTEREY >> Bicameral legislation that would protect access to Medicaid services for individuals forced to relocate across state lines due to federally declared disasters or public health emergencies, was authored and reintroduced by U.S. Representative Jimmy Panetta, D-Carmel Valley.

The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act aims to ensure seniors and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid waivers do not lose the services they need if they are forced to flee their home state during a disaster. The bill would designate such individuals as “Relief-Eligible Survivors” and allow them to continue receiving Medicaid-supported services in their temporary state of residence.

“As we’ve seen in California and across the country, natural disasters are displacing more and more families, often across state lines. But for those who depend on Medicaid, fleeing danger too often means losing access to health care,” said Panetta in a press release. “The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act would ensure that survivors of disasters do not have to choose between their safety and their health.”

Medicaid is a joint federal and state public health insurance program in the United States that provides free or low-cost coverage to people with limited income and resources. It’s primarily designed for low-income adults, children, pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities. Each state runs its own Medicaid program within federal guidelines, which means benefits and eligibility can vary by state.

Approximately 71 million people in the United States are enrolled in Medicaid, with another 7.3 million enrolled in the related Children’s Health Insurance Program.

“The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies applauds the reintroduction of the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act,” said Shaylin Sluzalis and Germán Parodi, co-executive directors of the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, in the release. “Disabled people are disproportionately impacted by disasters, and losing access to Medicaid in moments of crisis can be deadly. DRMA is a life-saving, equity-driven bill that ensures disabled people, older adults and low-income disaster survivors are not left behind simply because they’ve been displaced. This legislation recognizes that health care is essential infrastructure in any emergency. We urge Congress to pass DRMA without delay.”

The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act would ensure that individuals eligible for Medicaid who are forced to relocate due to a federally declared disaster or public health emergency can continue to access their Medicaid services, provide a limited-time, 100% federal Medicaid match for states serving displaced individuals, offer technical assistance to states to help them quickly accommodate an influx of out-of-state recipients and establish a grant program to help states build an emergency response corps to provide Home and Community-Based Services during and after disasters.

In 2024, over 11 million Americans were displaced by natural disasters. Because Medicaid is administered by individual states, disaster survivors who cross state lines often lose access to critical services, especially Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services provided through state-specific waivers with lengthy waiting lists, according to Panetta’s office This loss of care can severely threaten the health, safety, and independence of older adults and people with disabilities.

“As our Maui ?ohana know all too well, rebuilding after a disaster brings daily challenges. However, access to healthcare should never be one of them. Medicaid is a lifeline for many, and we must make sure this critical safety net remains accessible, especially in times of crisis,” said Rep. Jill Tokuda, Hawaii-02 in the release. “That’s why I am proud to reintroduce the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act with my colleague Representative Panetta. This bill will ensure disaster victims have uninterrupted access to Medicaid-supported services, no matter where they are or how long it takes to reestablish their lives.”

The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act is co-led by Tokuda. U.S. Senators Adam Schiff, D-CA, Richard Blumenthal, D-CT, and Brian Schatz, D-HI are leading companion legislation in the senate.

“Our measure ensures that families, seniors, and individuals who are eligible for Medicaid and impacted by emergency relocations are able to continue receiving the care they need,” said Blumenthal. “Evacuees who have to abandon their homes and communities after a natural disaster strikes should not have to worry about whether they will lose access to their health care.”