MAYOR BILL WHITE ANNOUNCES EMERGENCY PRESCRIPTIONS AND FREE MEDICATIONS AVAILABLE FOR KATRINA EVACUEES
September 3, 2005 --Starting immediately, Hurricane Katrina evacuees will be able to get prescription and non-prescription drugs, except Schedule 2 narcotics, at all Houston area CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart and SAM's Club pharmacies. Katrina evacuees who are residents of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama are eligible for this program.
Evacuees who do not have a doctor's prescription will be able to get medications based upon the pharmacist's best judgment, but if at all possible evacuees should bring their doctor's prescription or a bottle of their medicine to the pharmacy. Evacuees should also bring their ID showing residence in Louisiana, Mississippi or Alabama.
Evacuees who are unable to pay will be able to receive their drugs free of charge. State authorities have granted Texas pharmacists the emergency ability to supply evacuees with medications for up to 30 days.
"We are so appreciative of the overwhelming and rapid response of these companies," said Mayor Bill White. "We joined with our congressional delegation and put out the plea to them, and they came back to us within hours. That's the kind of rapid response this emergency requires and we can't say thank you enough."
Those needing a physician's prescription should call the "Ask Your Nurse" line, at 713.633.CARE.
Louisiana Medicaid recipients may be eligible for benefits while in Texas. The Health and Human Services Commission is providing instructions to Texas pharmacies for Louisiana Medicaid participants. Enrollment forms are posted at http://www.hhsc.state.tx.us/HCF/vdp/vdpstart.html . Pharmacies needing to verify eligibility can do so by calling 1.800.473.2783.
