Help with Prescription Medication for Storm-Related Victims in Jefferson County, AL

After a major disaster many personal items come up missing,  One of the most important of those is people's medications.  This becomes especially important when it is medications such as insulin or those taken by people with chronic medical conditions.  This is also true with medical supplies as well.

The following is a list of places in Jefferson County, Alabama, where anyone who needs to get their medication restarted.

1.  Alabama Medicaid Agency - call (334) 242-5000

• Provides assistance if eyeglasses were damaged or lost
• Contact Dodie Teel at (334) 353-5149 or e-mail her at Dodie.Teel@medicaid.alabama.gov
• or Contact Theresa Carlos at (334) 353-3711 or e-mail her at Theresa.Carlos@medicaid.alabama.gov
• or Contact Sheila McDaniel at (334) 242-2366 or e-mail her at Sheila.McDaniel@medicaid.alabama.gov
• Medicaid recipients can work with pharmacy providers to obtain an emergency 72-hour supply of covered outpatient prescription drugs.  Pharmacy providers can contact Health Information Designs at 1-800-748-0130.

2.  American Diabetes Association of Birmingham - talk with Anna Grace Morgan at (205) 870-5172 ext 3071.  They provide diabetic supplies.

3.  Blue Cross/Blue Shield - call 1-888-883-3950 or go to www.bcbsal.com

• Access to prescription drugs:  for prescriptions filled on or after April 27, 2011, all benefit limits related to days supply, quantity, high dollar and early refill have been suspended for affected customers, allowing prescriptions to process immediately at the time of purchase.

4.  Catholic Center of Concern - call (205)-786-4388 or go to www.bhmdiocese.org

5.  Disabled Veterans - call Charles Lobdell at (334)-213-3365

6.  Greater Birmingham Ministries - call (205) 326-6821

7.  Jefferson County Health Department Prescription Voucher Program

• Provides vouchers to tornado victims to be presented at a pharmacy.
• Stipulations:  You MUST have NO paying source (such as insurance) available and must show some proof that the need is related to the tornado event.
• You may go to any of the Jefferson County Health Department locations to get the vouchers. They are:
• Bessemer - 2201 Arlington Avenue - 497-9300
• Central or Main Office - 1400 Sixth Avenue, South - 930-1135
• Chris McNair - 1308 Tuscaloosa Avenue, S.W. - 715-6121
• Eastern - 5720 First Avenue, South - 591-5180
• Morris - 586 Morris Majestic Road - 933-4242
• Northern - 2817 North 30 Avenue - 715-6121
• Western - 1700 Avenue E (Ensley) - 241-5230

8.  M-Power Ministries at 4022 Fourth Avenue, South, Birmingham, AL - call Blanche McIntyre at (205) 595-5959

• M-Power opened a satellite clinic in the Pratt City community which is open from 8 am to 7 pm to provide tornado victims with medications they lost and cannot quickly replace.  This clinic is behind Scott School.  A medica team of one doctor, one nurse and one pharmacist is on site.

9.  The Jefferson County SenioRx Wellness Program at 2601 Highland Avenue, South, Birmingham - call Rene Breland at (205) 327-7314

• This program provides FREE medications, FREE nutritional supplements (Ensure and Glucerna) and FREE diabetic supplies.
• Stipulations for this program are that you must be age 55 or older or disabled and in the 2-year waiting period for disability.  There are also income qualifications.

10.  Sight Savers America - call (205) 991-4878

• They provide treatment for storm-related eye injuries, replacement or repair of glasses, contact lenses, refills of prescription eye drops.
• Funding for this effort is provided by the EyeSight Foundation of Central Alabama.

11.  Viva Health Insurance

• Prescription Refills - Members who have lost their prescription mediciation in the tornadoes may go to their pharmacy for a refill.
• Lost Member ID Cards - call Customer Service at the following numbers:
• Medicare Members - call 1-800-633-1542 from 8 am to 8 pm
• TTY Users - call 1-800-548-2546
• All other Members - call 1-800-294-7780 from 8 am to 5 pm