As Hurricane Florence nears the Carolinas, health officials are encouraging people to make sure they have all of their medicines.
North Carolina Secretary of Health Mandy Cohen said Medicaid is making it possible for beneficiaries to get those prescriptions early, and even see doctors where they evacuate. She warned people who rely on medical devices that need electricity to contact their local department of social services office, which can help make sure they are sent to shelters with generators.
Cohen also said people who rely on food stamps can use their electronic benefit transfer cards in other states.
“If they have any food lost during the storm, we’re setting it up that they can request replacements for that,” Cohen said. “Again, we are trying to eliminate any reason that anyone would think [of] not to evacuate.”
Cohen said the health department is also calling nursing homes and other long-term care facilities to make sure they are heeding evacuation orders.
