On Wednesday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a public health emergency in response to severe flooding that struck Washington state this month.
Kennedy, who leads the Department of Health and Human Services, stated that the declaration is intended to address the needs of Medicare and Medicaid recipients. As part of this initiative, the agency is granting access to HHS emPOWER, a system that provides data on Medicare enrollees who rely on electricity-dependent medical equipment and other healthcare services, making them particularly vulnerable during disasters.
This move could signal positive prospects for Washington's request for a major disaster declaration from President Donald Trump, which would potentially unlock tens of millions of dollars to manage the aftermath of the flooding. Governor Bob Ferguson is expected to submit such a request in the coming weeks.
The flooding, caused by heavy rainfall and overflowing rivers, led to thousands of evacuations, breached multiple levees, and damaged numerous highways. Although the impact was severe, it did not reach the levels some forecasts had anticipated. One fatality has been reported.
Kennedy's order follows an earlier emergency declaration from Trump, which mobilized federal resources to address the storm. John Knox, from the department's Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, emphasized in a statement, "HHS stands ready to assist state and local response efforts in the state of Washington due to the potential health care impacts from severe storms."
Additionally, Health and Human Services has waived penalties for violations of federal health privacy rules under HIPAA for hospitals. Knox added, "With today’s declaration and waiver, HHS is helping ensure that residents in the storm’s path have continuous access to the care they need during and after this storm. ASPR’s highly trained personnel are prepared to support state and local actions to save lives and protect the delivery of health care services."
The federal Disaster Distress Helpline is also available for crisis counseling, offering a multilingual hotline accessible 24/7 via call or text at 1-800-985-5990. The declaration is retroactive to December 9.
Meanwhile, a windstorm forecast for western Washington on Wednesday could worsen conditions, as saturated soil may increase the risk of falling trees and powerline poles, though the wind is now expected to be less intense than initially predicted.
In a separate development, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown joined other states in filing a lawsuit against Kennedy on Tuesday over his threats against gender-affirming care providers. Brown criticized the move as "as cruel and unnecessary as it is illegal, but consistent with an administration that puts politics above health." This marks Washington's 49th lawsuit against the federal government since Trump resumed office in January.
