Prescription Drug Relief for Seniors

The Assisted Living Federation of America (ALFA) has set an initiative to eliminate the prescription drug expense paid by poor seniors who live in assisted living communities.

Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-25th TX) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-21st FL) and twelve other House members are sponsoring HR 5604, the Medicare Part D Home and Community Services Copayment Equity Act of 2008. This bipartisan measure corrects an apparent oversight in the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program by exempting drug co-payments for residents in assisted living and other home and community-based settings who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. The measure treats these so-called dual-eligible recipients the same as Medicaid recipients in nursing homes.The legislation will provide financial relief to one million seniors, including 125,000 residents of assisted living communities, and cost an estimated $171 million annually.

Prescription drug co-payments can range from $1 to $5 for each prescription.A typical assisted living resident takes between eight and 10 different prescription drugs per month, the same as residents of nursing homes. This legal oversight created hardship for Medicaid recipients whose personal needs allowance is limited to about $55 per month for items, such as clothing, shoes and personal hygiene items. Assisted living providers have been using their own funds to subsidize these affected residents for more than two years.

Source: www.earthtimes.com