Humana Foundation Donates $500,000 To Support Disaster Recovery in the Wake of Hurricane Ida

Originally published at press.humana.com. Humana ranked No. 13 on The Fair360, formerly DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list in 2021.

 

The Humana Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Humana Inc. for the past 40 years, is donating $500,000 towards relief and recovery efforts for those impacted by Hurricane Ida in Louisiana. This giving is part of The Foundation’s commitment to supporting communities in crisis through Disaster Philanthropy.

Hurricane Ida made landfall along the Louisiana coast on August 29, leaving at least one million without power, over 400,000 without water, and a yet to be known impact on loss of life and home. As the city and the surrounding areas begin the process of cleaning up, affected communities need assistance meeting basic needs including food, water, medical care and shelter. Because of the crisis situation created by this hurricane, the Humana Foundation is donating $500,000 to help with relief and recovery efforts. An initial $300,000 will be allocated to the following organizations to meet immediate needs:

Because additional needs will emerge in the days and weeks ahead, an additional $200,000 has been dedicated to addressing the crisis as it evolves. “Times of challenge reinforce the importance of caring for one another, and we are dedicated to providing relief during this difficult time,” said The Humana Foundation Interim CEO Caraline Coats. “We are donating to organizations on the ground in Louisiana who understand what the community is experiencing and are able to deliver the care so desperately needed right now.”

Beyond this donation, Humana Inc. is taking steps to further support those affected by Hurricane Ida. These actions include:

  • For all affected members, Humana has suspended referrals and prior authorization requirements for acute, post-acute, outpatient and physician services.
  • Humana is providing affected members who need to seek care out-of-network with the same cost-sharing they would get from an in-network health care provider or facility.
  • For its pharmacy members, Humana has suspended restrictions on refills to allow for travel difficulties and evacuations.
  • For members and non-members alike, Humana has established a free crisis intervention hotline and counseling services for anyone who may need help and support to cope with the disaster and its consequences. You can reach Humana’s work/life program counselors and specialists by phone at 1-888-673-1154) (TTY: 711), who are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide confidential assistance to those who need help.
  • For employees and their families, our crisis response teams have set up sites in areas of Louisiana impacted by significant power and water outages to distribute food and water and provide temporary shelter for employees to charge mobile phones and cool off.
  • For Humana members and the community at large, Humana is mobilizing bulk shipments of shelf-stable meals and water to centralized locations in New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

“So many of our Louisiana friends and neighbors are suffering as we work to pick up the pieces in the wake of Hurricane Ida, one of the most devastating storms in U.S. history,” said Humana Gulf States Medicare President Matt Berger. “As a lifelong Louisianan, I am so grateful that Humana and The Humana Foundation are stepping up to contribute to the hurricane relief and recovery efforts. Humana has a longtime history in the state of Louisiana and a strong commitment to the health of Louisianans in the many communities we serve.”