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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a news alert that it’s offering additional resources and flexibility available in response to a Public Health Emergency (PHE) in our state due to emergency conditions resulting from major wildfires in and near Spokane County starting Aug.1, 2026, and continuing. CMS is working closely with Washington state and federal partners to ensure thousands of residents affected by this natural disaster have access to needed care.
During this PHE, CMS is offering help to people on Medicare:
Medical equipment and supply replacements: CMS will allow people on Medicare who’ve lost or discovered damage to their durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies due to the wildfires to receive replacements. This ensures beneficiaries can continue to access the needed medical equipment and supplies they rely on each day. For help, Medicare beneficiaries should contact 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Access to covered Part D prescription drugs: During any PHE declaration, if Medicare beneficiaries are displaced from their home and can’t get covered Part D drugs at a network pharmacy, Medicare plans are required to ensure enrollees have adequate access to drugs at out-of-network (OON) pharmacies. Plans are required to reimburse beneficiaries up to their usual plan allowance for any payments enrollees make to OON pharmacies Similarly, if the disaster requires voluntary or mandatory evacuation, plans are also required to reimburse beneficiaries for OON payments for refills of Part D medications for beneficiaries located in an “emergency area” (also known as a Stafford Act or National Emergencies Act declaration and a PHE declaration). For beneficiaries who have, for example, lost their drugs, CMS would expect all “refill too soon edits” to be removed.
CMS will continue to work with our state, and those areas impacted by the wildfires. They encourages beneficiaries and providers of healthcare services that have been impacted to seek help by visiting CMS’ emergency webpage.
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