Unused medications?

Unused medications? Dispose of them properly

According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 9.9 million Americans misused controlled prescription drugs. The study shows that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from family and friends, often from the home medicine cabinet.

Skagit Valley Hospital in Mount Vernon installed a new drop box in the main lobby in 2019 to provide residents with a convenient place to properly and safely dispose of unneeded medications free of charge. In a partnership with Med-Project, the kiosk provides a location to dispose of unwanted or expired medication, including controlled substances. The kiosk is in full view of the main desk, is visible on lobby security cameras and is bolted to the floor.

Many pharmacies and law enforcement agencies also participate and the State of Washington will launch a Safe Medication Return Program as well later this year.

Go to www.med-project.org locations to find a location or to request a pre-paid, pre-addressed mailback package sent directly to your home.

Test your knowledge on proper drug disposal, vist the Get Smart About Drugs website at https://bit. ly/33blH6Q.

For a list of year-round controlled substance public disposal locations, go to the Drug Enforcement Administration website at https://apps2.deadiversion. usdoj.gov/pubdispsearch/spring/ main?execution=e1s1

If you are unable to get to a disposal location and want to know where and how to dispose of unused medicines, visit the U.S. Food & Drug Administration website at https://bit. ly/32epMb.

ABOVE: A drop box for the safe disposal of unneeded medications is available in the Skagit Valley Hospital lobby.

Safe medication disposal locations:

Safely disposing of your unwanted or expired medication can make a difference in your community. Visit MED-project.org locations for more information.

Anacortes Police Station (Lobby temporarily closed) 1218 24th St • Anacortes

Arlington Pharmacy 540 N. West Ave. • Arlington

Arlington Police Department (Lobby temporarily closed) 110 E. 3rd St. • Arlington

Bartell Drugs 7423 204th St. NE • Arlington

Bartell Drugs 9010 Market Place • Lake Stevens

Bartell Drugs 6602 64th St. NE • Marysville

Bartell Drugs 7205 267th St. NW • Stanwood

Burlington Police Station (Lobby temporarily closed) 311 Cedar St., Suite B • Burlington Darrington Pharmacy 1200 Seeman St. • Darrington

Hometown Pharmacy (Drive-through only) 640 State Route 20, Suite A Sedro-Woolley

Lake Stevens Police Department (Lobby temporarily closed) 2211 Grade Rd. • Lake Stevens

Marysville Police Department (Lobby temporarily closed) 1635 Grove St. • Marysville

Mount Vernon Police Department (Lobby temporarily closed) 1805 Continental Place • Mount Vernon

Granite Drugs 207 E. Stanley St., Suite A • Granite Falls

QFC Pharmacy 27008 92nd Ave. NW • Stanwood Schaffner Pharmacy 1990 Hospital Dr., Suite 120 • Sedro-Woolley

Sedro-Woolley Police Department (Lobby temporarily closed) 325 Metcalf St. • Sedro Woolley

Skidmore Pharmacy 1213 24th St. Suite 400 • Anacortes

Sea Mar Community Health Center Pharmacy 7438 S D Ave., Suite C • Concrete

Sea Mar Community Health Center Pharmacy 1400 LaVenture Road • Mount Vernon

Skagit County Sheriff’s Office (Mondays and Fridays only) 600 S. 3rd St. • Mount Vernon

Skagit Valley Hospital 300 Hospital Parkway • Mount Vernon

Washington State Patrol (Lobby temporarily closed) 2700 116th St. NE • Marysville

Medicare 2021: Open enrollment begins October 15

Do you need help comparing or choosing a Medicare plan?

If so, free Medicare insurance agent support is available for all Skagit Regional Health patients.

The Medicare annual enrollment period will run from October 15 through December 7, 2020. This is the time of year to determine your Medicare coverage for 2021.

For Medicare patients who need help comparing and choosing the right Medicare plan, Skagit Regional Health offers a Medicare Insurance Helpline, serviced by MedicareCompareUSA.*

Highly-trained MedicareCompareUSA agents provide patients with unbiased plan comparisons for Medicare plans that are accepted at Skagit Regional Health, including Medicare supplements, Medicare advantage and Medicare prescription drug plans.

MedicareCompareUSA agents are available to help by phone and by video appointment. This is the easiest and safest way to compare and choose a Medicare plan that is guaranteed to be accepted by your Skagit Regional Health providers.

Call toll-free 866-389-0445 for more information or to schedule a no-obligation Medicare insurance consultation. *MedicareCompareUSA is an independent insurance agency not affiliated with the federal Medicare program. Services of MedicareCompareUSA are offered at no cost; MedicareCompareUSA is compensated directly by whichever Medicare plan a customer selects.

Skagit Regional Health to delay payments for patients financially impacted by COVID-19

Skagit Regional Health is aware of the financial impact that COVID-19 is having on the health and financial well-being of our patients. We know that an unexpected illness can be a big burden on you and your family. Our Patient Financial Services Department is here to help you during your time of need.

Our team understands that this can be a complex process for our patients. The important thing to remember is nobody should delay needed medical services because of their ability to pay. If you’re experiencing any kind of financial hardship, whether it’s related to COVID-19 or other factors, the important thing is to contact us. We will always work with you.

If you need help paying your bill, whether or not you have insurance, Skagit Regional Health offers a Financial Assistance Program to assist qualified patients. Please contact Patient Financial Services, Customer Service for help with: • Questions about your bill • Financial Assistance • Medicaid Apple Health • Setting up a Payment Plan • Deferring your current payment plan

For those individuals seeking financial assistance or who need to delay payments due to lost wages or other financial hardship caused by COVID-19 please call the Patient Financial Services Customer Service Department at 360-814-7575. We have many options available to you. This initiative is an extension of Skagit Regional Health’s already robust financial assistance programs, which include payment plan options.

Online resources are also available to you: SKAGIT REGIONAL HEALTH: www.skagitregionalhealth.org/billing WASHINGTON STATE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION: • Charges for common procedures: www.wahospitalpricing.org • Compare hospital quality scores: www.wahospitalquality.org WASHINGTON HEALTH PLAN FINDER: www.wahealthplanfinder.org or call 1-855-923-4633.

MYCHART: www.skagitregionalhealth.org/mychart