The Florida Department of Health has announced that, in response to Hurricane Milton and the declared state of emergency, early prescription refills are permitted for residents. This measure is intended to help ensure that Floridians have enough medication if pharmacies become temporarily unavailable due to storm impacts.
Under the current state of emergency, individuals can receive early refills on prescriptions, including some controlled substances. However, medications listed under Schedule II in Chapter 893 of the Florida Statutes are excluded from this provision.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) has reminded all health insurers, managed care organizations, and related entities about their obligations under section 252.358, Florida Statutes. According to this law, when the Governor issues an executive order declaring a state of emergency, insurers must allow early prescription refills. This requirement remains in effect until the executive order is lifted or expires.
The Executive Order 24-215 outlines that health insurers and similar organizations must waive standard time restrictions on prescription medication refills during a state of emergency. They are required to suspend electronic “refill too soon” edits at pharmacies and authorize payment for at least a 30-day supply of any prescription medication if there are authorized refills remaining. These provisions apply when:
- The person seeking a refill lives in a county under a hurricane warning from the National Weather Service,
- The county is declared under a state of emergency by the Governor,
- Or the county has activated its emergency operations center and management plan.
Requests for early refills must be made within 30 days after these conditions begin or until they are terminated by authorities. The waiver period may be extended through additional emergency orders from OIR.
These temporary changes do not exempt insured individuals from other terms of their insurance policies regarding prescription coverage.
The Florida Department of Health oversees licensing and regulation for health care practitioners in the state to maintain public health and safety standards. The department provides resources on professional licensing and enforcement actions.
The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation regulates insurance businesses in the state and monitors industry compliance with relevant laws. More information about OIR can be found at www.floir.com or on X @FLOIR_comm.