ALFA Aims to Provide Relief to Seniors
March 14th, 2008 | by admin |ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — An ALFA initiativeto eliminate the prescription drug expense paid by poor seniors who live inassisted living communities was filed today on Capitol Hill.
Reps. Lloyd Doggett (D-25th TX) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-21st FL) andtwelve other House members are sponsoring HR 5604, the Medicare Part D Homeand Community Services Copayment Equity Act of 2008. This bipartisanmeasure corrects an apparent oversight in the Medicare Part D PrescriptionDrug Program by exempting drug co-payments for residents in assisted livingand other home and community-based settings who qualify for both Medicareand Medicaid. The measure treats these so-called dual-eligible recipientsthe same as Medicaid recipients in nursing homes.
“Seniors should not be punished for living independently,” said Rep.Doggett. “The high cost of medicine should not force seniors into expensiveinstitutional care. This bill treats all seniors equally, regardless ofwhere they live.”
“It is simply wrong that any Medicaid recipient pay a financial penaltyfor living in an assisted living community,” said Richard Grimes, ALFA’spresident. “We are grateful Members of Congress from both political partiesrecognize this inequity and are taking steps to correct it.”
The legislation will provide financial relief to one million seniors,including 125,000 residents of assisted living communities, and cost anestimated $171 million annually.
Prescription drug co-payments range from $1 to $5 for eachprescription. The typical assisted living resident takes eight to 10different prescription drugs per month, the same as residents of nursinghomes. This legal oversight created hardship for Medicaid recipients whosepersonal needs allowance is limited to about $55 per month for items, suchas clothing, shoes and personal hygiene items. Assisted living providershave been using their own funds to subsidize these affectSOURCE Assisted Living Federation of AmericaCopyright©2008 PR Newswire.All rights reserved
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