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02/15/02 - Legislative Update

-----Original Message-----
From: Ginamcd@aol.com [mailto:Ginamcd@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2002 2:52 PM
To: DEW Coalition
Subject: Update from the Capital

The Ways and Means committee will finish (we hope) deliberations on the SRS Budget today. As of yesterday, as we predicted, they acknowledged our concerns by listing PDWaiver funding as a priority issue, but not adding any funding. In essence, they are sticking with the Governor's "deep" cut budget until they determine if more revenue will be available. If there is ever more revenue available, they would identify PD Waiver, Family Preservation and some other topics at the top of their list.

In the Governor's budget (not his enhancements) it does include adding $1.00 to the cost of co pay for pharmaceuticals. That means anyone who is currently paying or is supposed to be paying $2.00 for each prescription would have to start paying $3.00 in July. Anyone who is exempt from co pay now (all Waiver folks) are still exempt.

In our discussions regarding this increase we talked with Laura Howard who informed us that according to federal law, people cannot be denied their prescriptions if they can't pay. So we asked where the cost savings would come if they couldn't pay it. We learned that if a consumer can't apply, the Pharmacist has to pay for the co pay.

Thanks to our friend and advocate Leroy Bell, we soon found out that lot's of folks are being denied their meds by pharmacists, if they can't pay the co pay. Laura tells us that if that is occurring, then we need to turn in those pharmacists because it is against the contract.
Whoa now, don't start calling yet. The real problem here is that the Pharmacists are in essence getting this increase. After spending some time with the lobbyist for the Pharmacy folks I am getting a better understanding of the issue. They can't afford to lose another dollar per prescription, so what will happen if we force their hand is they will just refuse to prescribe for Medicaid. Then where do you go to get prescriptions filled?

We continue to oppose this increase. It's not good for anyone, however it will add a savings of over $1,000,000 to the budget. Without it, the Legislature will have to find savings somewhere else.

A final note, it appears that we have finally come to agreement on the issue of transfer to the FE waiver when you turn 65. Regulations will be out soon and the process should allow us to start on July 1, 2002. Thanks to the Governor's staff, SRS and Aging for coming together to solve this one.

In our discussion we learned that based on Governor's budget, the Department on Aging will have a waiting list for the FE waiver beginning in July and they anticipate it getting as high as 300 by end of fiscal year. As you may or may not know, income eligible programs already have waiting lists and are beginning to cut back services.

DOA budget will be heard next week in the House subcommittee at 3:30 starting Monday.
Final report on SRS Budget will go to the Senate Ways  and Means on Tuesday of next week. (That's 10:30 in Ways and Means room).

Senate Ways and Means will be discussing Level of Care Scores tomorrow at 10:30. This may be our next big battle!

Gina


"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence
of our friends." - Martin Luther King Jr.