To prepare for the January 1 start of the Medicare Drug Benefit (Part D), the City of Baltimore is readying their emergency surveillance and response systems. That’s right – they’re treating this as a public health threat. Click here for details. Their worry is that the “dual eligibles” (people who are dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid), who will be switched overnight from their current Medicaid drug coverage to a new privately-administered Medicare program, will not be able to get their medications because their new plans don’t cover all their medications, because they cannot afford the higher co-pays, or because they’ve slipped through a crack in the “system.”
In Massachusetts, we have the same worries — for the duals and for our Prescription Advantage members. That’s why HCFA, in coalition with other groups including AARP, Mass. Law Reform Institute and Greater Boston Legal Services, are working to pass legislation to require Massachusetts to protect people who don’t have access to the drugs they need. The bill will help duals with higher co-pays and will supply Prescription Advantage members and duals with an emergency supply of drugs if their Part D plans won’t pay.
The legislation passed the State Senate in November as part of a supplemental budget, where it got held up in conference. The Senate passed the legislation again this week and it’s now working its way through the House. We only have three more sessions before Jan 1 to get this done. Please call your House member TODAY to ask them to support Senate Bill 2310.
