Medication Refill Issues:

• If you're getting pushback to get emergency refills for medication or other pharmacy issues and you are on Medicaid, please email at AppleHealthPharmacyPolicy@hca.wa.gov . They will follow-up on each email. Also below is information about refills.
• Based on the Governor’s emergency proclamation for the Covid-19 pandemic, the Department and Commission wanted to inform pharmacies and pharmacists that WAC 246-869-105 is effective. This rule allows a pharmacist, among other things, to grant an emergency refill of an expired prescription for up to a seventy-two hour supply for medications that are not maintenance medications, and a thirty-day supply for a maintenance medication if the pharmacist is unable to obtain refill authorization from the prescriber. Please refer to the rule for requirements, and prescriber notification when applicable. Pharmacies and pharmacists should evaluate whether they can engage in any emergency-based dispensing practices while being good stewards of the drug-supply chain management.

Local Social Security offices will be closed to the public for in-person service starting Tuesday, March 17, 2020. This decision protects the population they serve—older Americans and people with underlying medical conditions—and their employees during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. However, they are still able to provide critical services. Their secure and convenient online services remain available at www.socialsecurity.gov. Local offices will also continue to provide critical services over the phone. They are working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state and local governments, and other experts to monitor COVID-19 and will let you know as soon as they can resume in-person service. If you need help from Social Security:

• First, please use their secure and convenient online services available at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineservices. You can apply for retirement, disability, and Medicare benefits online, check the status of an application or appeal, request a replacement Social Security card (in most areas), print a benefit verification letter, and much more – from anywhere and from any of your devices. They also have a wealth of information to answer most of your Social Security questions online, without having to speak with a Social Security representative in person or by phone. Please visit their online Frequently Asked Questions at www.socialsecurity.gov/ask.
• If you cannot conduct your Social Security business online, please check their online field office locator for specific information about how to directly contact your local office. Your local office still will be able to provide critical services to help you apply for benefits, answer your questions, and provide other services over the phone.
• If you already have an in-office appointment scheduled, they will call you to handle your appointment over the phone instead. If you have a hearing scheduled, they will call you to discuss alternatives for continuing with your hearing, including offering a telephonic hearing. their call may come from a PRIVATE number and not from a U.S. Government phone. Please remember that our employees will not threaten you or ask for any form of payment.
• If you cannot complete your Social Security business online, please call their National 800 Number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Their National 800 Number has many automated service options you can use without waiting to speak with a telephone representative. A list of automated telephone services is available online at www.socialsecurity.gov/agency/contact/phone.html.

Organization Closure

• Public Health Department: they are “open” and accepting referrals but there is NO home visits, only phone visits.
• WIC: The are trying to move to remote services but right now is mostly by phone. Some locations are seeing clients depending on needs.
• Children’s Home Society: No home visits, only phone visits. New referrals: they will call the family and let they know they are on waiting list.
• NAVOS/Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health: Only phone contacts, they are taking referrals but they will not start to provide any for now (just call the family and let them know they received the referral).
• CTC Early Intervention: No home visits

The FDA has not authorized any test that is available to purchase for testing at home for COVID-19. The FDA sees the public health value in expanding the availability of COVID-19 testing through safe and accurate tests that may include home collection, and they are actively working with test developers to bring this to fruition. Fraudulent health claims, tests, and products can pose serious health risks. They may keep some patients from seeking care or delay necessary medical treatment. The FDA will take appropriate action to protect consumers from bad actors who take advantage of a crisis to deceive the public by marketing tests that pose risks to patient health. They have already identified and issued warning letters to companies found selling and promoting fraudulent items, and we expect additional such actions will be forthcoming. Additionally, they are stepping up enforcement at ports of entry, including International Mail Facilities, to ensure these fraudulent products that originate outside the country do not enter through our borders. If you are aware of fraudulent test kits for COVID-19, please report them to the FDA. Reports may be sent via email to: FDA-COVID-19-Fraudulent-Products@fda.hhs.gov. They will continue to aggressively pursue those who place the public health at risk and hold bad actors accountable.  Actions may include issuing warning letters, seizures or injunctions. The FDA will continue to pursue those who place the public health at risk.