Health Care Advocates Call for Passage of Medicare Co-payment Legislation to Better Serve Poor Elderly Americans
NCAL Leads Coalition of 37 Groups
Contact:
Lisa Gelhaus, NCAL, (202) 898-2825
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2007
Washington, DC – Led by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) and the American Health Care Association (AHCA), 37 health care advocacy organizations thank Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) and his co-sponsors for their leadership and call for passage of the bipartisan legislation, the Home and Community Services Copayment Equity Act of 2007 (S. 1107) in a letter delivered to Sen. Smith’s office today.
Under the Medicare Modernization Act, Congress exempted dual eligibles—people eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare—living in nursing facilities from any co-payments for their Part D prescription drugs. However, under current law dual eligibles in assisted living and residential care facilities must make co-payments for their Part D medications. About 15 percent of 1 million Americans in assisted living are dual eligibles.
“We appreciate Senator Smith’s leadership and the growing list of co-sponsors. Passage of S. 1107 would alleviate the financial pressure dual eligibles experience and ensure continued access to their medications,” said David Kyllo, NCAL’s executive director.
Dual eligibles in assisted living are similar to those in nursing facilities. Both have limited incomes and use an average of eight to 10 medications, according to recent studies. Under Part D, co-payments for dual eligibles range from $1 to $5.35 dollars per prescription.
S. 1107 would eliminate Part D co-payments for dual eligibles in assisted living, residential care facilities, group homes for people with mental retardation and developmental disabilities, psychiatric health facilities, and mental health rehabilitation centers. Dual eligible beneficiaries receiving services under home- and community-based waivers in home settings would also be relieved of Part D co-payments under the bill.
“While these co-pays may not appear to be a financial burden, if you need eight medicines a month the expense adds up quickly for people with extremely limited means,” said Kyllo. “For some dual eligible residents these prescription co-payments will exceed their monthly Medicaid personal allowances which are as little as one dollar a day in some states.”
NCAL/AHCA obtained support from the 37 organizations that signed onto the letter to Sen. Smith. The organizations are: Alliance for Holistic Aging, Alzheimer’s Association, American Academy of Home Care Physicians, American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging, American Geriatrics Society, American Health Care Association, American Medical Directors Association, American Network of Community Options and Resources, American Seniors Housing Association, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, Assisted Living Federation of America, Benjamin Rose Institute, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Consumer Consortium on Assisted Living, Developmental Disabilities Nurses Association, Epilepsy Foundation, Families USA, Long Term Care Pharmacy Alliance, Medicare Rights Center, National Adult Family Care Organization, National Alliance on Mental Illness, National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long Term Care Administrators, National Association for Home Care & Hospice, National Association of Local Long Term Care Ombudsmen, National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers, National Association of Social Workers, National Association of State Directors of Developmental Disabilities Services, National Association of State Ombudsman Programs, National Association of State Units on Aging, National Center for Assisted Living, National Community Pharmacists Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, NCCNHR: The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, The Arc of the United States, United Cerebral Palsy, United Jewish Communities, and the Washington State Long Term Care Ombudsman Program.
To view the entire letter, please visit: www.ncal.org.
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The American Health Care Association (AHCA) and National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) 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. For more information, please visit www.ahca.org.