Wildfires

2025

Southern California Wildfires – California (2025)  

Secretary Becerra used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) on January 10, 2025, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries in the State of California, effective retrospectively since January 07, 2025. 

• 2025 Southern California Wildfires (California) 1812f Waiver Findings (PDF)
• 2025 Southern California Wildfires (California) Public Health Emergency Determination
• 2025 Southern California Wildfires (California) 1135 Waiver Secretarial Approval
  • Apply for an 1135 waiver or submit a public health emergency (PHE)-related inquiry
    • Get a quick-start guide to learn how to submit an 1135 waiver (PDF) or a PHE inquiry (PDF)
    • Watch our YouTube training videos:
      • 1135 Waiver/Flexibility Requests
      • PHE-related Inquiry Requests
• Waiver requests related to the Physician Self-Referral Law (commonly referred to as the “Stark Law”) should not be submitted via the web portal. For these requests, please visit the Physician Self-Referral Spotlight Page for additional information.
• You can read the blanket waivers for the 2025 Southern California Wildfires (California) (PDF) (updated 01/22/2025)
• Special enrollment periods for 2025 Southern California Wildfires (California) victims (PDF) (PDF)
• Disaster Preparedness Toolkit for State Medicaid Agencies

Additional information and resources for the Southern California Wildfires (2025):

What DHS and FEMA are doing

English: https://www.fema.gov/california-wildfires
Spanish: https://www.fema.gov/es/california-wildfires

What the U.S. Government is doing

English: https://www.usa.gov/california-wildfires
Spanish: https://usa.gov/es/california-incendios-forestales

2023

Wildfires - Hawaii (2023)

Secretary Becerra used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) on August 11, 2023, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries in Hawaii, effective retrospectively since August 8, 2023. As a result of the continued consequences of the wildfires, a PHE extension has been signed on October 31, 2023, allowing us to continue to support our beneficiaries in Hawaii, for an additional 90 days if needed.

• 2023 State of Hawaii Wildfires (Hawaii) 1812(f) Waiver (PDF)
• 2023 State of Hawaii Wildfires (Hawaii) Public Health Emergency Determination
• 2023 State of Hawaii Wildfires (Hawaii) 1135 Waiver Secretarial Approval
  • Apply for an 1135 waiver or submit a public health emergency (PHE)-related inquiry
    • Get a quick-start guide to learn how to submit
    • Watch our YouTube training videos:
      • 1135 Waiver/Flexibility Requests
      • PHE-related Inquiry Requests
• Waiver requests related to the Physician Self-Referral Law (commonly referred to as the “Stark Law”) should not be submitted via the web portal. For these requests, please visit the Physician Self-Referral Spotlight Page for additional information.
• You can read the blanket waivers for the
• Special enrollment periods for 2023 State of Hawaii Wildfires (Hawaii) victims (PDF)
• Disaster Preparedness Toolkit for State Medicaid Agencies

an 1135 waiver (PDF) or 

a PHE inquiry (PDF)

2023 State of Hawaii Wildfires (PDF) (8/18/2023)

2022

New Mexico Wildfires 

Secretary Becerra used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) on May 9, 2022, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries in New Mexico, and renewed on July 4, 2022.

New Mexico guidance:

• New Mexico wildfires 1812 waiver (PDF)

2020

Oregon wildfires 

Secretary Azar used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PDF) (PHE) in Oregon on September 16, 2020, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries, effective September 8, 2020.

• Oregon wildfires 1135 waiver (PDF)
• Oregon wildfires 1812(f) waiver (PDF)

You can also see:

• Our 9/17/20 press release:  CMS Offers Comprehensive Support for Oregon due to Wildfires

California wildfires 

Secretary Azar used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) in California on August 26, 2020, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries, effective August 14, 2020.

• California wildfires 1812(f) waiver (PDF)

California wildfires (2018)

Secretary Azar used his authority in the Public Health Service Act to declare a public health emergency (PHE) in California on November 13, 2018, giving us the flexibility to support our beneficiaries, effective November 8, 2018. Effective, February 6, 2019, the PHE was extended for 90 days.

• California wildfires 1812(f) SNF waiver (PDF)
• California wildfires 1135 waiver (PDF)
• California wildfires 1135 waiver letter (PDF)
• California wildfires Medicaid 1135 waiver letter

Read the blanket waivers (PDF) for California wildfires. 

You can also see:

• Our MLN Matters Article, “Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Response to the 2018 California Wildfires (PDF)”

Southern & Northern California wildfires (2017)

Southern California has four large wildfires that continue to impact people and homes. The Thomas Fire in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties is the fifth largest fire in California history. These fires affected critical cellular and public safety communications infrastructure, power transmission and distribution lines, high-pressure natural gas lines, and oil wells. Additionally, the watershed for the cities of Ojai and Ventura were impacted. A Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration and a Social Security Act waiver were issued for California on December 11, 2017, with a finding that a public health emergency existed beginning on December 4, 2017. This PHE declaration and waiver authority for the Southern California wildfires expired on March 3, 2018.

Northern California wildfires burned across several California counties, threatening the lives of tens of thousands of people. A Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration and a Social Security Act waiver were issued for California on October 15, 2017, with a finding that a public health emergency existed beginning on October 8, 2017. This PHE declaration and waiver authority for the Northern California wildfires expired on January 5, 2018.

Documents:

• February 5, 2018_Southern CA Section 1135 Waiver for provider enrollment (PDF)
• Extension of Medicare Special Enrollment Period for individuals affected by hurricanes in Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands and California wildfires (PDF)
• December 11, 2017 Public Health Emergency Declaration and Social Security Act Waiver for California (PDF)
• December 13, 2017 findings concerning Section 1812(f) of the Social Security Act for Southern California (PDF)
• November 22, 2017 IFC Fact Sheet (PDF)
• October 15, 2017 Public Health Declaration and Social Security Act Waiver for California (PDF)
• Findings concerning Section 1812(f) of the Social Security Act for California (PDF)
• Medicaid provider enrollment flexibilities under Section 1135 (PDF)
• October 18, 2017 letter to California hospital association (PDF)
• Emergencies and major disasters – additional opportunities to join, drop or switch Medicare Health and Prescription Drug Plans & other guidance (PDF)
• Medicare enrollment Qs & As (PDF)
• Memo: Applicability of reporting requirements for certain health care facilities affected by California wildfires – updated December 11, 2017 (PDF)
• Applicability of reporting requirements for Acute Care Hospitals, Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities, Skilled Nursing Facilities, Home Health Agencies, Hospices, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities, Long-Term Care Hospitals, Renal Dialysis Facilities, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, and MIPS eligible clinicians affected by California wildfires (FEMA DR-4353) – February 8, 2018 (PDF)

Related links:

• CMS announces special enrollment periods for Americans impacted by recent hurricanes
• CMS waives provider enrollment and screening requirements in California during wildfire recovery efforts