Georgia law allows many prescriptions to be refilled early during emergencies
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- What Ga., S.C. agencies want you to know
- Local Red Cross is ready to offer assistance
- What you should know about power outages ahead of Helene
- Things you should know about hurricanes and tropical storms
AUGUSTA, Ga. – As Hurricane Helene sets its sights on Georgia and the rest of the Southeast, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is recommending residents have their refill prescriptions handy as part of their emergency kits.
But what happens if those refills don’t qualify because it’s too soon?
Last year, Gov. Brian Kemp signed a law into existence allowing prescriptions to be refilled early during emergencies. As of Tuesday, Georgia is under a state of emergency, meaning residents can now request their pharmacist to fill most non-addictive prescriptions, even if they’re not eligible for refills yet.
FEMA is recommending families have at least a seven-day supply of prescription medications.
“Insurance companies usually give us the override code for any kind of state of emergency that we can use so we can fill their prescriptions,” said Matthew Ronn, pharmacist in charge of Wender & Roberts Pharmacy in Atlanta. Those prescriptions, Ronn said, include maintenance medicines such as blood pressure, diabetes and asthma medications.
Ronn said the law allows pharmacies to issue prescriptions faster “because we’re able to get overrides and things like that to get the medicine to the patient and we’re also able to give three-day or 72-hour supplies.”
The law does not apply to all medications; customers cannot refill schedule two substance prescriptions, such as amphetamines, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, morphine and fentanyl.
If your pharmacy is out of the specific medication needed, you can ask them to call another pharmacy to see if you can have that prescription transferred to them.
However, some pharmacies are anticipating this. Kroger reached out to News 12 to let us know they’ve been working to replenish supplies ahead of Helene because of this new law.
If you don’t have time to get a refill Thursday night, this still applies the entire time the state of emergency remains in place.
As of now, it’s set to expire Wednesday. But as you know in the past, we’ve seen the governor extend that when needed.
Be prepared
- Build an emergency kit: Ensure you have enough food, water, medications, and other necessities to last at least 72 hours.
- Clear gutters and drains: Make sure to clear your gutters and storm drains of debris to prevent water accumulation and reduce the risk of flooding around your home.
- Secure outdoor items: Store or secure outdoor furniture, garden tools, and toys. High winds can turn these objects into dangerous projectiles.
- Stay informed: Monitor local weather forecasts and stay informed about the developments of the storm. Have several ways to get emergency information.
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