THE Fires of Los Angeles have forced thousands to evacuate their homes indefinitely, often without necessary drugs or medical devices. Here is what to do if you are without access to the things you need to stay informed of the chronic conditions.
This article is provided free of charge to ensure our safety community and supported following devastating fires in southern California.
Go directly to the pharmacy
If the fire has closed your doctor's office, or if waiting times will prevent you from getting your medication when you need it, you can go directly to a pharmacy to replace the necessary medicines, said Dr. Richard Dang, assistant teacher of clinical pharmacy at USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
“We certainly do not want patients to expect days without medication, and doctors are probably also criticized with requests that arrive in addition to their patient loading,” he said.
If you generally get prescriptions from a chain pharmacy like CVS or Walgreens and your usual branch is closed or otherwise inaccessible due to fires, you can request a recharge from any other pharmacy in this chain.
If you have evacuated to an area without a branch of your usual pharmacy nearby, you can go to any pharmacy nearby and ask your prescriptions transferred to this location. If, for example, you generally get Rite Aid prescriptions but you have evacuated to an area with only a nearby Walgreens, you can go to Walgreens and ask your prescription transferred to it.
If neither your pharmacy nor your doctor are accessible because of the disaster, Californian law allows pharmacists to provide a “Reasonable amount” of drugs Without a prescription at their discretion to see patients until they can obtain a regular supply.
Do not worry about what is in the network for now
California Department of Managed Health Care on January 9 ordered all insurers Authorized to operate in the condition to suspend the limitation limits for limits affected by fires that need to replace the necessary medications.
The order also allows consumers to fill in existing prescriptions or get new in pharmacies out of network without additional costs beyond what they would have paid in network sales.
“There are so many obstacles to obtaining drugs. Patients no longer need it for the moment, given the situation, “said Dr. Rita Shane, vice-president and head of the pharmacy at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
If you have trouble contacting or obtaining the services you need your health insurer, you can contact the DMHC help center in www.dmhc.ca.gov or 888-466-2219 (TDD: 1-877-688-9891) for free assistance.
Call your insurer to replace the devices and equipment
The state prescription also requires that insurance companies replace medical equipment or supplies for people who have lost or who cannot access their fires.
Call your health plan supplier to find the best way to replace any necessary equipment. Each health plan is necessary to have a free number displayed on its website to help victims of fire disaster.
Organizations can help
If you do not know where to start or you generally do not have health insurance, you can dial 211 or visit 211la.org For community organizations that can help access emergency drugs and other services in the event of a disaster.
Don't wait
The fires upset thousands of lives in the County of Los Angeles. Although there are a dizzying number of things to be taken care of as a result of an evacuation, your health should be a priority, said Shane.
“The most important thing is to tell people to get their recharges as soon as possible,” she said.
Insurers, pharmacies and doctors' firms will probably have faced with high cases and may have longer than usual waiting times. Sorting of prescriptions and replacing the device without the documents that you would generally have at hand can take more time.
“The last thing we want is that people find themselves in emergency services,” said Shane. “They could be in a situation to have to wait a long time, and we would not want people to lack doses of drugs that are really important for their well-being.”
