Question: Isn’t there usually a drug drive-thru disposal in October? I checked the opioid website, and they have information from 2023.
Answer: Yes, the next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for Oct. 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. throughout the islands, including some drive-thru locations, such as at the state Capitol along Beretania Street. You can search for your nearest drop-off location at 808ne.ws/ 3YqBXyE.
As at past events, people will be able to drop off unneeded prescription drugs anonymously, allowing for safe disposal that prevents the unused medication, including opioids, from being abused.
The website also has links to year-round, smaller drop-off sites, such as at certain pharmacies.
You mentioned checking hawaiiopioid.org, the website for the Hawaii Opioid Initiative, which has previously promoted these semiannual take-back events. It had not been updated as of Tuesday, when outdated information remained posted.
Q: There’s supposedly a bipartisan effort for Medicare reform before President Biden leaves office. Are Hawaii’s reps part of this?
A: Yes. Both of Hawaii’s representatives in the U.S. House — Democrats Ed Case and Jill Tokuda — have joined more than than 230 of their House colleagues in calling on Congress to prevent a 2.8% cut in Medicare payments scheduled to take effect Jan. 1 and to update payment rates to reflect the actual cost of treating Medicare patients. An “ever-widening gap between what Medicare pays physicians and other clinicians and the cost of delivering quality care to patients demands Congressional intervention,” according to a letter to House leadership that Case, Tokuda and many other House members have signed. Read it at 808ne.ws/3zYuNsa.
Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people age 65 and older, and for some younger people with disabilities or certain diseases. Read more at medicare.gov.
Q: When will the ballot drop boxes be in place?
A: On Oahu, general election ballot drop boxes in various public parks and other locations will be available starting Friday, the same day ballot packets should be arriving in registered voters’ mailboxes, according to the state Office of Elections. A voter may return their ballot by mail or by placing it in one of the drop boxes. You can find the full list of drop-box locations at elections.hawaii.gov.
Q: Is the FAFSA going to be as bad as in 2023?
A: It’s too soon to say for sure, but ongoing beta testing indicates that the college financial aid process should be smoother than in 2023. The 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is scheduled to open to the public on Dec. 1. Until then it’s available to a limited number of applicants who were invited to participate in beta testing, which officials say is going well. Read more at studentaid.gov.
Last year’s rollout of a revamped FAFSA for the 2024-2025 school year was behind schedule and plagued with technical problems that delayed processing for many students.
Auwe
Regarding the homeless, more attention must be paid to restoring ties with family members who may be able to help the homeless person or who might feel an obligation to do so. This isn’t solely a taxpayer problem. — A reader
Mahalo
On Sept. 27 my friend and I had lunch at Yohei Sushi on Dillingham Boulevard to celebrate her 94th birthday. When it came time to pay the bill, I was informed that the gentleman sitting at the table next to us had paid for our lunch. What a loving and kind surprise — especially for my friend. Mahalo and God bless him for making my friend’s 94th birthday such a memorable one. — MHSP
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Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
