Getting care in a disaster or emergency

What do you need help with?

Visiting doctors or other providers

If you have  Original Medicare , you can always go to any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare. This is true even if you have to leave your city or state.
Can I go to any provider during an emergency or disaster if I have a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or other Medicare health plan?

Paying your premium

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) , other Medicare health plan , or a Medicare drug plan (Part D) , you’re still responsible for paying your premium on time even in an emergency or disaster. If you don’t pay timely, your plan might disenroll you. What if my plan disenrolls me?

To make sure your premiums are paid on time, you can ask your plan to withhold your premium from your Social Security check. You may also be able to pay through an online bill payment service or electronic funds transfer. Contact your plan to find out your premium payment options. You can usually find your plan's contact information on your plan membership card. You can also call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Getting your prescription drugs

If you have Medicare drug coverage, and live in an area that's been declared an emergency or disaster, contact your plan for help:

• Finding another in-network pharmacy nearby. An in-network pharmacy is a pharmacy that agrees to provide members of certain Medicare plans with services and supplies at a discounted price. In some Medicare plans, your prescriptions are only covered if you get them filled at in-network pharmacies.
• Replacing lost or damaged drugs or replacing a drug you couldn't take with you when you evacuated.
• Getting drugs at an out-of-network pharmacy when you can't reasonably get to an in-network pharmacy.

Using in-network pharmacies

• You'll be able to move most prescriptions from one in-network pharmacy to another, and back to your regular pharmacy when the emergency or disaster ends. If you need help finding the closest in-network pharmacy, contact your Medicare plan.
• You'll need to tell the new pharmacy the name of your regular pharmacy and the drugs you need refilled.
• If you lost your plan membership card and don't know your plan's phone number, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) to get your plan's contact information. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

Using out-of-network pharmacies

• Contact your plan for information about their out-of-network rules.
• When you buy your drugs at an out-of-network pharmacy, you'll probably have to pay full cost for the drugs at the time you fill your prescriptions.
• If you paid full cost for the drugs, save your receipts so you can ask your plan if it'll refund you for your costs (Note: You won't get a refund for the out-of-network cost-sharing amount). Ask your plan how to submit your claim.

Additional (extended-day) supplies

If you think you won't return home for a long time, you may want to get a 60- to 90-day supply of your prescription drugs. Ask your plan if it offers 60- to 90-day supplies and which pharmacies you can use to get them.

For more information on getting prescription drugs during an emergency or disaster, contact your Medicare drug plan.

How can I find contact information for my Medicare drug plan?

Generally, you can find your plan's contact information on your plan membership card. Or, you can search for your plan's contact information.

You can also call us at 1-800-MEDICARE.

Getting dialysis treatments

If you have Original Medicare , your End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network can help you:

• Get your dialysis treatments.
• Find out who to contact for your supplies, drugs, transportation to dialysis services, and emergency financial help (if you need it).

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or other Medicare health plan , contact your plan to find out their rules for getting dialysis during a disaster or emergency. You can usually find your plan's contact information on your plan membership card. You can also call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Learn more about getting dialysis during a disaster or emergency.

Getting chemotherapy or other cancer treatments

If you have Original Medicare , contact the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to find other cancer care providers. Call 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (ET), Monday through Friday. TTY users can call 1-800-332-8615.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or other Medicare health plan , contact your plan to find out their rules for getting cancer treatments during a disaster or emergency. You can usually find your plan's contact information on your plan membership card. You can also call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Replacing a lost or damaged card

If you have Original Medicare , log into (or create) your secure Medicare account to print or order an official copy of your Medicare card. You can also call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and ask for your replacement card to be mailed to you. TTY users can call 1-877-486-2048.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or other Medicare health plan , contact your plan to find out their rules for getting a new membership card. You can usually find your plan's contact information on your plan membership card. You can also call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Replacing lost or damaged durable medical equipment or supplies

If you have Original Medicare and it already paid for durable medical equipment (like a wheelchair or walker) or supplies (like diabetic supplies) that were damaged or lost during an emergency or disaster:

• In most cases, Medicare will cover the cost to repair or replace your equipment or supplies, but only when you get them from a Medicare-approved supplier.
• If your equipment is damaged and needs to be repaired, Medicare will usually cover the cost of rentals for items like wheelchairs.

If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan (Part C) or other Medicare health plan , contact your plan to find out their rules for replacing equipment or supplies that are lost or damaged during a disaster or emergency. You can usually find your plan's contact information on your plan membership card. You can also call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

How do I update my address with Medicare?

Qualifying for a special enrollment period

If you live in an area where an emergency or disaster has been declared by a federal, state, or local government, and that disaster or emergency kept you from signing up or switching or dropping plans during another qualifying enrollment period:

• For Original Medicare: You might have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to sign up for Part B and/or premium paid Part A.
• For a Medicare drug plan or Medicare Advantage Plan: You might have a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) to join, switch, or drop your plan.

To make enrollment changes, call the plan or 1-800-MEDICARE. To qualify for this Special Enrollment Period, try to have paperwork that shows that you live in an affected area (like a driver’s license, utility bills, etc.).

For more help:

• Find out how to change your address with Medicare.
• If you need other resources or help after an emergency, visit disasterassistance.gov.