Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 33 Florida counties in anticipation of Invest 93L’s projected landfall. The executive order, issued on August 26, covers areas including Alachua, Bay, Charlotte, Citrus, Lee, Pinellas, and Sarasota counties.
The Florida Department of Health is coordinating with emergency managers across the state to prepare for possible impacts on communities. The department is reminding residents to ensure they have enough prescription medication in case pharmacies become temporarily inaccessible. Under the current state of emergency, Floridians are allowed to obtain early prescription refills even if they would not normally be eligible for them.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has also issued a reminder to health insurers and managed care organizations about their legal obligations during this period. According to OIR:
"This notice is a reminder that all health insurers, managed care organizations, and other health entities must comply with provisions of section 252.358, Florida Statutes, which allows for early prescription refills in the event the Governor issues an executive order declaring a state of emergency. This mandate remains in effect until the Governor’s executive order is rescinded or expires."
Under Executive Order 23-171 and section 252.358 of Florida law:
"All health insurers, managed care organizations, and other entities that are licensed by the Office of Insurance Regulation and provide prescription medication coverage as part of a policy or contract shall waive time restrictions on prescription medication refills, which include suspension of electronic “refill too soon” edits to pharmacies, to enable insureds or subscribers to refill prescriptions in advance, if there are authorized refills remaining, and shall authorize payment to pharmacies for at least a 30-day supply of any prescription medication, regardless of the date upon which the prescription had most recently been filled by a pharmacist..."
This applies when individuals seeking medication reside in counties under hurricane warnings or those covered by the governor’s emergency declaration. The waiver remains effective for up to 30 days after these conditions begin unless extended or terminated by authorities.
The Florida Department of Health oversees licensing and regulation for healthcare practitioners statewide. Its role includes ensuring public safety through professional oversight and enforcement actions.
The OIR regulates insurance businesses throughout Florida and monitors compliance with relevant statutes; more information can be found at https://www.floir.com/.
The Department of Health holds national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board and works at multiple levels—statewide and locally—to promote public health initiatives across Florida. More details about its programs are available at http://www.FloridaHealth.gov/.