Los Angeles County Winter Storms - Service Updates for L.A. Care Members

Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday, March 1 due to severe winter storms across California.

Our thoughts are with our L.A. Care members impacted by the storms, and we want to help ensure your access to care. 

Please note the following service updates for L.A. Care members affected by winter storms in Los Angeles County.

 

Prescriptions

L.A. Care will help members fill prescriptions early or fill them at an out-of-network pharmacy if their medications were lost due to the storms, left behind during an evacuation, or their regular pharmacy is shut down due to the emergency.

If you know of another L.A. Care member in need, please let them know this service is available to them. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays for emergency or urgent situations. Please contact us at one of the following numbers for further assistance:

 

For people with a hearing impairment, assistance is available through the 711 relay service.

 

Transportation

If you are a member whose planned medical transportation could be impacted by the winter storms in and around Los Angeles County, we will accommodate changes to your existing reservation. In addition, we will waive the advanced notice requirement to allow you to reschedule for a future date or alternative facility. Contact L.A. Care to request a change to your existing reservation.

 

For people with a hearing impairment, assistance is available through the 711 relay service.

 

Health Care Providers

L.A. Care understands that during this emergency some members may have to seek out-of-network services. This may happen if a member's usual provider is unable to work because the facility is shut down, or the provider is directly impacted by the winter storms.  

For guidance in this situation, please call one of the following numbers:

 

For people with a hearing impairment, assistance is available through the 711 relay service.

 

Mental Health

Survival is paramount in any disaster, but a second trauma often arises — the pain associated with loss and memories of the chaos.  

It's okay to get help. For counseling related to stress and grief, as well as other mental health services, L.A. Care members can call:

 

Visit L.A. Care's Behavioral Health Services for more information.

In addition, the Disaster Distress Helpline is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to a disaster. Call 1-800-985-5990 (TTY 1-800-846-8517) or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. This hotline is free, multilingual and confidential.

 

Additional Information

We're also sharing some messages from public safety agencies in the hopes that they will help you and your loved ones during this time.

If you live in an area affected by these winter storms, please be careful and follow the instructions of the public safety officers that are working to protect lives and property.

They are also providing alerts on the official Los Angeles County Fire Department Twitter account (@LACoFD) or the official Los Angeles County Twitter account (@CountyofLA).

The Los Angeles Fire Department suggests keeping the six "P's" in mind in case you must evacuate:

  • People and pets
  • Papers, phone numbers and important documents
  • Prescriptions, vitamins and eyeglasses
  • Personal computers
  • "Plastic" (credit cards, ATM cards) and cash

 

L.A. Care Community Link logo

If you need help with other issues, L.A. Care Community Link is a useful tool to connect you to community agencies and government programs in your area. L.A. Care Community Link can show you local services for essentials like food, unemployment, housing and financial assistance.

Go to L.A. Care Community Link