North Carolina Bulletin 26-B-14 activates emergency prescription refill provisions in response to Governor Stein Executive Order No. 41 declaring a state of emergency in Dare and Hyde Counties following destructive coastal storms on September 24 and October 16, 2026. Health benefit plans, including the State Health Plan and stand-alone prescription medication plans, must authorize extra prescription refills within 29 days of the bulletin October 23, 2026 issuance. This is a time-limited, operational compliance requirement that affects health insurers pharmacy benefit operations. While the geographic scope is limited to the Emergency Area, the statutory obligation applies statewide to all licensed health benefit plans. Insurers must ensure their pharmacy benefit management systems can process these emergency refills promptly.
Source: https://www.ncdoi.gov/26-b-14-coastal-storm-rx-refill/open