Click the image for more information on the respiratory illness, COVID-19
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Click the image to view our Governor, Jim Justice's website to stay informed on the actions our state is taking pertaining to COVID-19
Click the image to find your local Social Security Office
Click the image for more information & assistance pertaining to unemployment
Click the image to find food assistance programs
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An official message from Medicare:
Unfortunately, scam artists are using the coronavirus pandemic to try to steal your Medicare Number and other personal data, but you can protect yourself. If you get a call or email offering COVID-19 items like a test kit or a mask and they ask for your Medicare number, hang up or delete the email! Guard your card. |
Click the image for more information pertaining to Medicare Fraud and prevention steps to be taken.
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Extended Equitable Relief for Medicare Premiums due to COVID-19 Pandemic
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an extended equitable relief period for beneficiaries who are unable to pay their premiums because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
CMS is still encouraging beneficiaries to pay their premiums on time, however, they are giving beneficiaries who are unable to pay due to the pandemic until September 30, 2020 to pay their premiums without terminating their coverage.
Please note the following information when responding to inquiries:
CMS is still encouraging beneficiaries to pay their premiums on time, however, they are giving beneficiaries who are unable to pay due to the pandemic until September 30, 2020 to pay their premiums without terminating their coverage.
Please note the following information when responding to inquiries:
- Although, CMS is granting this equitable relief period, they are unable to stop the collection of Medicare premiums and will continue to send all Medicare Premium bills (Form CMS-500) to beneficiaries.
- The Direct Bill System will prevent terminations of Medicare coverage through September 30, 2020.
- New information available on 1-800-Medicare will include the equitable relief period end date to address non-payment inquiries from beneficiaries.
- Beneficiaries with past due balances will receive a letter informing them of the September 30, 2020 relief period end date.
COVID-19 Fact Sheetin 30+ languages
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Deaf and Hard of Hearing Guideline for Hospital Communication
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Caring for COVID-19 patient at home
Stimulus Checks Information
if someone drew Social Security (SSDI, retirement, widow’s, SSI) in 2018 or 2019 but did not file taxes, they will still automatically receive the Economic Impact Payments without having to do anything. However, if they have qualifying children under 17, it is recommended that they go to the IRS’ new webtool for Non-Filers to enter their information so they can also claim/receive the dependent child payments.
Also if someone did not file taxes in 2018 or 2019 and did not start drawing Social Security benefits until 2020, they will need to go to the IRS’s Non-Filers website to enter their information to receive a payment.
Please see the below link from Social Security for further information about these updates. As a reminder, Social Security and the IRS are not going to call individuals regarding their Economic Impact Payments such calls are scams! The only official place to get information/file for payment for non-filers is the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments. This is also the place for people to go to see if they are eligible for a payment, and soon to check the status of your Economic Impact Payment.
if someone drew Social Security (SSDI, retirement, widow’s, SSI) in 2018 or 2019 but did not file taxes, they will still automatically receive the Economic Impact Payments without having to do anything. However, if they have qualifying children under 17, it is recommended that they go to the IRS’ new webtool for Non-Filers to enter their information so they can also claim/receive the dependent child payments.
Also if someone did not file taxes in 2018 or 2019 and did not start drawing Social Security benefits until 2020, they will need to go to the IRS’s Non-Filers website to enter their information to receive a payment.
Please see the below link from Social Security for further information about these updates. As a reminder, Social Security and the IRS are not going to call individuals regarding their Economic Impact Payments such calls are scams! The only official place to get information/file for payment for non-filers is the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments. This is also the place for people to go to see if they are eligible for a payment, and soon to check the status of your Economic Impact Payment.
SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
The Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories. Stress, anxiety, and other depression-like symptoms are common reactions after a disaster. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
The Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990, is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories. Stress, anxiety, and other depression-like symptoms are common reactions after a disaster. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
Disaster Hotline
(800) 626-4959
info@disasterstrategies.org
In light of limitations of response capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hotline will provide remote technical assistance and attempt to engage local solutions through our vast relationships.
The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (The Partnership) is the nation’s only disability-led organization with a mission of equal access to emergency and disaster programs before, during and after disasters for people with disabilities. We are the nation’s experts on disability rights, accessibility and inclusion throughout all phases of disaster and emergency operations.
The Partnership’s Disaster Hotline provides information, referrals, guidance, technical assistance and resources to people with disabilities, their families, allies, organizations assisting disaster impacted individuals with disabilities and others seeking assistance with immediate and urgent disaster related needs.
The Disaster Hotline is always available for intake calls, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year at (800) 626-4959 and info@disasterstrategies.org.
We will have our knowledgeable team respond to your call as soon as possible, often immediately, and we intend to respond to all callers within 24 hours. Our hotline team is led by experts on the many issues affecting people with disabilities in disasters and how to meet those immediate needs. We can provide accessible and multilingual information to callers, including via videophone for Deaf callers, upon request.
What Issues do we provide information, guidance, technical assistance and referrals for?
Who Should Contact the Disaster Hotline?
During the COVID-19 pandemic our response capabilities are limited, the Hotline will provide remote technical assistance and attempt to engage local solutions through our vast relationships.
The Partnership’s continual focus is on all disasters and public health emergencies. In addition to the direct assistance provided to callers, our focus during COVID-19 is on:
(800) 626-4959
info@disasterstrategies.org
In light of limitations of response capabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hotline will provide remote technical assistance and attempt to engage local solutions through our vast relationships.
The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies (The Partnership) is the nation’s only disability-led organization with a mission of equal access to emergency and disaster programs before, during and after disasters for people with disabilities. We are the nation’s experts on disability rights, accessibility and inclusion throughout all phases of disaster and emergency operations.
The Partnership’s Disaster Hotline provides information, referrals, guidance, technical assistance and resources to people with disabilities, their families, allies, organizations assisting disaster impacted individuals with disabilities and others seeking assistance with immediate and urgent disaster related needs.
The Disaster Hotline is always available for intake calls, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year at (800) 626-4959 and info@disasterstrategies.org.
We will have our knowledgeable team respond to your call as soon as possible, often immediately, and we intend to respond to all callers within 24 hours. Our hotline team is led by experts on the many issues affecting people with disabilities in disasters and how to meet those immediate needs. We can provide accessible and multilingual information to callers, including via videophone for Deaf callers, upon request.
What Issues do we provide information, guidance, technical assistance and referrals for?
- Urgent and immediate disability related disaster response needs, including lifesaving and life sustaining immediate needs.
- Prevention of institutionalization during and after disasters.
- Applying for, understanding and navigating FEMA and other federal, state and local government emergency and disaster programs and services.
- Disability rights before, during and after disasters.
- Accessible and actionable emergency information.
- Building and neighborhood evacuation.
- Accessible transportation.
- Sheltering and temporary housing.
- Disaster housing programs.
- Alternatives to “special needs” and “medical” sheltering and “special needs” and “voluntary” registries.
- Health maintenance.
- Health care access.
- Disability accommodations in disasters.
- Repair, replacement and loaned durable medical equipment, disability supplies, and assistive devices.
- Returning home, school, work and community after a disaster.
- Navigating disaster recovery initiatives.
- Disaster funding.
- Connecting with mutual aid networks.
- Connecting with local community supports.
Who Should Contact the Disaster Hotline?
- Disaster impacted individuals with disabilities, their families and allies.
- Disability advocacy and services organizations.
- Community organizations seeking to assist disaster impacted individuals with disabilities.
- Government and non-government representatives from emergency management, public health, medical, private sector, business, voluntary organizations active in disasters, faith-based, elected officials and others seeking to assist individuals with disabilities and disaster impacted communities.
- Media inquiries.
- Donors and others who seek to support our work.
During the COVID-19 pandemic our response capabilities are limited, the Hotline will provide remote technical assistance and attempt to engage local solutions through our vast relationships.
The Partnership’s continual focus is on all disasters and public health emergencies. In addition to the direct assistance provided to callers, our focus during COVID-19 is on:
- Rights and immediate needs of people with disabilities who need supports and services to protect themselves from exposure.
- People with disabilities who are in quarantine.
- People with disabilities who are in isolation or in an acute care medical setting.
- Information for medical, public health, and public safety officials, government and non-government, and private sector entities to understand their obligations to people with disabilities, before, during, and after public health emergencies and disasters.
- Meeting continuity of operations and continuity of services for serving people with disabilities across the lifecycle and throughout the disaster cycle.
- Public engagement, coordination between all public and NGO stakeholders to provide accessible information, promising and good practices, and problem-solving via disability accessible teleconference and web-based information sharing.
Testing/Collection Sites
Click the image to view testing/collection sites in West Virginia. This list is updated daily.