NCAL's No. 1 Legislative Priority Included In House Democrats' Medicare Part D Bill, USA

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 24 Jul 2007 - 0:00 PST

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The National Center for Assisted Living's (NCAL) top legislative priority-elimination of co-pays for dual eligibles-has been included in the House Democrats' signature bill to improve the Medicare Part D benefit. NCAL and the American Health Care Association (AHCA) praise Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) for introducing a bill that contains a section to alleviate the financial burden of 1 million low-income, frail elderly, and individuals with disabilities who are currently required to pay for their co-pays under the Medicare Part D program.

Doggett recently introduced the"Medicare Prescription Drug Savings for Our Seniors Act (Medicare Prescription Drug SOS Act) of 2007" (H.R. 3025). Sec. 202 of the Medicare Prescription Drug SOS Act would eliminate Part D co-payments for about 1 million dual eligible beneficiaries-people eligible for Medicare and Medicaid-including residents of assisted living and residential care centers as well as other licensed facilities such as group homes for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities. Dual eligibles receiving services under home and community-based (HCBS) waivers in a home setting would also be relieved of Part D co-payments under the bill. Section 202 mirrors the Senate's bipartisan S. 1107.

"We appreciate Doggett's leadership and his recognition of this vulnerable population," said David Kyllo Executive Director of NCAL. "Rep. Doggett's bill includes a provision that would cover a growing group of beneficiaries who in some instances don't have the financial means to meet all their co-pays. If you need eight medicines a month and only have a limited Medicaid personal allowance, which in some states can be as little as $1 a day, you're going to have to make some tough choices about your medicines. We believe the intent of Congress was to provide coverage to all beneficiaries-especially frail, low-income seniors-so that they wouldn't have to make these choices. Rep. Doggett's bill corrects this oversight."

According to an analysis of the Part D co-payment legislation done for NCAL by the Lewin Group, by 2008 the HCBS dually eligible population impacted by this legislation will be larger than the number of dual eligible beneficiaries living in nursing facilities and other institutions.

"We salute Rep. Doggett for introducing legislation that would make the Medicare Part D program affordable for all dual eligible beneficiaries no matter what segment of long term care they live in," said Bruce Yarwood, President and CEO of AHCA. "AHCA and NCAL believe that all long term care settings must best meet the needs and preferences of each individual-including their prescription drug needs."

NCAL is the assisted living voice of AHCA, the national's largest long term care organization representing nearly 11,000 long term care facilities nationwide.

The American Health Care Association represents nearly 11,000 non-profit and proprietary facilities dedicated to continuous improvement in the delivery of professional and compassionate care provided daily by millions of caring employees to 1.5 million of our nation's frail, elderly and disabled citizens who live in nursing facilities, assisted living residences, subacute centers and homes for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.

American Health Care Association.