SAIPAN — The Emergency Prescription Assistance Program has been activated for the CNMI following Typhoon Sinlaku, giving uninsured residents access to prescription drugs, vaccinations, medical supplies and equipment at no cost during the disaster period.
EPAP is a federal program administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that activates automatically in declared disaster areas. It covers people who do not have health insurance — those with individual health insurance, employer-sponsored coverage, Medicare, Medicaid or other third-party coverage do not qualify.
Eligible residents can use EPAP to replace prescription medications, medical supplies, vaccines and certain medical equipment that were lost or damaged during the typhoon, were not refilled before the storm, or were lost or damaged at an evacuation shelter. Prescriptions and medical supplies may be renewed every 30 days for as long as EPAP remains active.
To access the program, residents should confirm they qualify, verify that their prescriptions or supplies are covered, find a participating pharmacy and provide their medical information to the pharmacist.
For questions, call the EPAP toll-free line at 1-855-793-7470. TTY users can call 1-800-876-1089. More information is available at aspr.hhs.gov/epap.
The Commonwealth Healthcare Corporation is sharing information on several programs available to community members during the recovery period, including EPAP, TRICARE, the American Kidney Fund Disaster Relief Program, Aetna International and VA clinic updates.
