A new state law aimed at protecting patients from excess costs of prescription medications requires pharmacists to charge the lesser of a customer’s insurance co-pay or the cash price.

The new law (House Bill 2464), which was approved by the Legislature and signed by the governor in March, will take effect June 10. When it does,  it will end the current situation in which pharmacists don’t have to tell patients if the cash price is lower. This can result in people paying higher prices for their prescriptions than necessary, said state Rep. Chris Gildon, who sponsored the new legislation.

“There are so many people (statewide) who struggle to stay afloat. One of the biggest strains they face is the cost of prescription medications,” said Gildon, who is from Puyallup and the 25th Legislative District.

Traveling in the Puget Sound area, the Pacific Northwest and faraway has unique challenges during the coronavirus outbreak, but what’s true now and in the future is that there’s nothing like travel to keep you active and engaged, and also that traveling safely takes careful planning.
With that in mind, “Safe Travels for Seniors”–a free, information-only webinar—will be hosted in May be AAA Travel and Pierce County Aging and Disability Resources. The one-hour presentation will include advice on planning and all that needs to be done to make ab adventure a safe one.
The sessions will be offered three times–May 19 at 6:30 p.m., May 28 at 10:30 a.m., and May 29 at 12 p.m. Participation is online or by telephone:
• Via computer, tablet, or other smart device, log in at https://zoom.us/j/93816125490?pwd=aXg5UWhzSFZVZWFRUUZoR1Z2eTFmQT09 (password: 798).
• By phone, call 1-253-215-8782 or 877-853-5247 (toll-free) or 888-788-0099 (toll-free) and use webinar ID 938 1612 5490.
The webinar will be presented by Gala Payne, general manager of travel and member services at the Tacoma office of AAA. No products or services will be sold.
Opportunities for travel abound. Organized travel lets someone else to do all the research and planning. Individual travel allows self-guided exploration and spur-of-the-moment decisions. Either way, safety is the number one priority, said Aaron Van Valkenburg, manager of Aging and Disability Resources, a county government program.

Financial authorities are cautioning investors in Washington to beware of con artists seeking to capitalize on fear and uncertainty created by the coronavirus situation.
“We know con artists are opportunistic and use current events to cloak their schemes with an air of immediacy and legitimacy. Never make an investment decision without understanding what you are investing in, who you are doing business with, where your money is going, how it will be used, and how you can get it back,” said Bill Beatty, securities administrator of the state Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), which regulates the financial services industry such as banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers, consumer loan companies, payday lenders, and securities brokers and dealers.
Beatty said investors should be on the lookout for scam artists trying to use the market downturn and the coronavirus to scare investors into so-called safer, guaranteed investments.
“Always ask if the salesperson and the security are registered with their state or provincial securities regulator,” Beatty said. “Avoid making decisions based on panic or fear.”
Investors can contact the Securities Division of DFI with any questions at 360-902-8760 and at https://dfi.wa.gov/securities.

Governor Jay Inslee has announced additional guidance for what patients can expect for elective surgeries during the coronavirus restrictions on healthcare.
In March, the governor issued an order aimed at ensuring adequate capacity and personal protective equipment in hospitals and other medical facilities to manage any influx of COVID-19 patients. That included limits on non-urgent surgeries. On April 30, he indicated some flexibility is now possible.
“Washingtonians have taken the threat of COVID-19 seriously. But there are some much-needed procedures that aren’t being performed that should be, and we need to make sure that everyone gets the care they need during this time,” Inslee said. “Through the great work of our hospitals and medical delivery system, we are clarifying that some procedures should go forward” while still managing the ability to meet medical demands of the pandemic.
The policy announced in March stated any decisions to perform surgeries or procedures in hospitals, dental clinics and other medical facilities should be based on whether delaying them could cause a patient’s health to deteriorate, if the procedure would be more complex in the future, and if the outcome could be worse if done later, among other considerations.
The new guidance provides clarification on what type of procedures are permitted under the order and lays out guidelines for personal protective eqyipment that healthcare workers should have and how long they should use it.