Questions are answered by experts at OHA and other state agencies or community partners.
Q: Regarding mental health and wellness - there are no counselors/psychotherapists in Central Oregon who accept Medicare insurance! How are people over 65 supposed to afford mental health care? And how can we solve this problem? – Alexa, Bend
A: Alexa, we understand your frustration. It’s not easy to find a mental health provider in Oregon that takes Medicare, even along the I-5 corridor. Generally speaking, there is a shortage of mental health providers nationwide, and many prefer to set up their practices in the more populated areas. OHA is using incentives and other tools to build up and retain its behavioral health workforce, particularly in rural communities, which was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Perhaps this Medicare provider search tool can help. Enter your ZIP code, and in the “Name & Keyword” field, type “Mental health counselor.” You can also enter the term “Psychiatry” for similar results. One of the filters allows you to see only providers that offer telehealth services, so if the provider is too far away you have the option of virtual/video appointments.
Q: My health care provider said Oregon law makes it unlawful to electronically transmit a prescription to a Canadian pharmacy. Buying from Canada has saved me thousands of dollars, and having to obtain a paper prescription is a hassle. Can you confirm that this is Oregon law? I had never heard of it before. The Oregon Board of Pharmacy could not provide an answer, and the Oregon Board of Medicine has not responded to my question. – Teresa, Aloha
A: Teresa, this is a wildly complex issue, so while we regret you haven’t been able to get an answer, we are not surprised. There are multiple entities, laws and regulations that come into play here, including the Oregon Medical Board, the medical board in the Canadian province where the pharmacy is located, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Canada’s equivalent of the FDA.
The short answer is that, in general, U.S. providers may send prescriptions electronically to Canadian pharmacies, but whether the pharmacy will fill it or not is another question. But whether the prescription is in electronic or paper form, the Canadian pharmacy will typically have to work with a Canadian provider to get a new prescription for the medication (a process called “cosigning”) before they can dispense it to the patient, and they can dispense only a 90-day supply.
That said, a lot depends on the type of medication, whether it’s approved by the FDA, and a large amount of discretion exercised by officials on both sides of the border. Meaning, there is no simple answer to your question, unfortunately.
However, we can say that bringing the meds back into the U.S. for personal use is subject to U.S. drug importation laws. Additionally, earlier this year, Florida became the first state authorized by the FDA to import certain prescription drugs into the U.S. to help reduce consumer costs, and a handful of other states are working to do the same (Oregon is not one of them).
If you have questions about health topics in Oregon, submit your question here. Although we are unable to answer every question, we try to address those of interest to a broad audience. Please understand that we are unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
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