Blumenthal Leads Bicameral Legislation to Strengthen Medicaid Access for Americans Displaced by Natural Disasters

[WASHINGTON, DC] – U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), and Adam Schiff (D-CA) and U.S. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) and Jill Tokuda (D-HI) today introduced the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act (DRMA) to help maintain access to critical Medicaid-supported services for individuals displaced by natural disasters. 

Climate-related disasters are on the rise, increasingly driving millions of people to abandon their homes and relocate with no idea of when they will be able to return. A record-breaking 11 million U.S. residents were forced to relocate after natural disasters in 2024, and recent wildfires in Southern California and Maui have displaced tens of thousands. Since Medicaid is partially funded by the federal government but administered by the state, recipients who are displaced as a result of natural disasters are at risk of losing access to the care they need.

“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.”

“The last thing disaster survivors should be worried about is whether they’ll be able to access health care or not,” said Schatz. “This bill will make sure that people on Medicaid who are forced to relocate due to disasters can still get the care that they need.”

“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. “The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act would ensure that survivors of disasters do not have to choose between their safety and their health.  I’m proud to lead this bicameral legislation to ensure that no matter the circumstance, the most vulnerable in our community have continuity of care.”

“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 Tokuda. “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 Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies applauds the reintroduction of the Disaster Relief Medicaid Act (DRMA),” said Shaylin Sluzalis and Germán Parodi, co-executive directors of the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies. “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.”

DRMA provides a limited-time, 100 percent federal match for Medicaid recipients who are forced to relocate to a different state after a natural disaster strikes. The bill also provides technical assistance and support for states to develop strategies to respond to an influx of out-of-state recipients and creates a grant program to help states develop an emergency response corps to provide Medicaid home and community-based services (HCBS).

DRMA is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Fetterman (D-PA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Peter Welch (D-VT). Legislative text is available here.

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