# Summary
The Disaster Relief Medicaid Act expands Medicaid coverage to individuals and families affected by major disasters, national emergencies, or public health emergencies declared on or after January 1, 2025. Relief-eligible survivors—defined as disaster area residents and displaced workers whose income does not exceed 133 percent of the poverty line (or 200 percent for pregnant people, children, and disabled individuals)—receive temporary Medicaid coverage for up to two years following a disaster declaration. States must use simplified applications without documentation requirements, provide presumptive eligibility to fast-track enrollment, and maintain continuous coverage throughout the relief period without redeterminations.
The federal government covers 100 percent of costs for medical assistance to relief-eligible survivors and related administrative expenses, removing the usual state cost-sharing requirement. States may optionally provide extended mental health services and home and community-based services to disaster survivors without normal coverage restrictions. The bill also authorizes $10 million annually through fiscal year 2027 for grants establishing emergency response corps in up to five states to coordinate services for displaced disaster survivors. Additionally, it requires federal evaluation of the program's impact and extends certain Medicare enrollment protections for disaster survivors.
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