Floridians impacted by Hurricane Michael will be able to head to other states to fill up their prescriptions.
Gov. Rick Scott announced that Gov. Kay Ivey, R-Ala., and Gov. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., have authorized pharmacies in their states to offer prescription refills to Floridians still recovering from the hurricane.
Scott also called for the federal Emergency Prescription Assistance Program, administered jointly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to be activated to “help families without health insurance impacted by Hurricane Michael receive prescription medications.”
“Individuals using this program must have a valid prescription issued by an appropriate licensed medical professional. More details on this program will be released upon activation of this resource by the federal government,” Scott’s office noted.
As we prepared for and now respond to and recover from the total devastation of Hurricane Michael in communities across the Florida Panhandle, we have had states from around the nation graciously send resources and extend support to Florida and the families in our state impacted by this storm,” Scott said this week. “I want to thank Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey for their action to allow pharmacists and pharmacies in their states to assist in the Hurricane Michael response efforts providing a critically important health service to Floridians in need.
“I am also urging the federal government to activate the Emergency Prescription Assistance Program which helps provide uninsured individuals with prescription medication. We will continue to do everything possible to ensure the health and safety of all impacted families,” the governor added.
“Florida continues to communicate and monitor pharmacies in the affected areas and work to restore services with as little disruption to families as possible. Currently, there are 51 pharmacy locations open and dispensing medication in the following counties: Bay, Calhoun, Gadsden, Franklin, Jackson, Liberty, Okaloosa, Wakulla, Walton and Washington. This is subject to change as additional pharmacies are able to open,” Scott’s office noted. “To find an open pharmacy, go to RxOpen.org, which maps open and closed pharmacies during disasters. The site also has locations of American Red Cross shelters and infusion centers in the affected communities. For those with a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan, medicare.gov recommends contacting the plan to find the nearest network pharmacy that is open. If one is unavailable, the plan can connect evacuees with an out-of-network pharmacy. Call your plan for more details and instructions. To find your plan’s phone number, call 1-800-MEDICARE.”
Kevin Derby can be reached at Kevin.Derby@floridadaily.com.
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