Wisconsin's popular SeniorCare prescription drug program is due to end
in the summer of 2007 under an agreement with federal authorities.
However, Wisconsin seniors and political leaders are asking for it to
continue as a alternative to the federal Medicare Part D prescription
plan.
On Thursday state Assemblywoman Sheryl Albers, R-Reedsburg, was among
a bipartisan group of legislators signing a letter in support of the
Wisconsin SeniorCare prescription drug program, according to a
statement from her office. They are asking U.S. Health and Human
Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt to allow the program to continue
beyond the June 30, 2007, deadline set under an agreement between the
state and federal governments.
SeniorCare is a good, low-cost way for seniors of modest means such as
themselves to get help paying for their prescription drugs, said
retirees Ed and Lorna Brecka of Baraboo.
When they considered joining Medicare Part D they were confronted with
a long list of drug insurance programs to chose from, said Ed. Each
charged its own monthly fees and separate charges for different
prescriptions.
With SeniorCare, they each pay a $30 annual fee and a co-payment of $5
or $10 when they pick up their medications, he said. [Blocked Ads]
"SeniorCare is much cheaper," Lorna said. "We're retired people, we
have to watch every penny we spend."
SeniorCare serves more than 110,000 Wisconsin residents and thousands
of seniors selected the Wisconsin program over the federal one in the
last year, according to the legislators' letter.
Assemblyman J.A. "Doc" Hines, R-Oxford, is on vacation and has not yet
signed the legislators' appeal to Leavitt, said Doug Parrott, a
legislative aide. He said Hines strongly supports the SeniorCare
program because it works well.
He supports the Wisconsin prescription program despite the fact
Medicare Part D is being promoted by President Bush and Republicans in
Congress, Parrott said.
"SeniorCare has been an extremely popular program and an extremely
successful program for Wisconsin seniors," he said. "You can't argue
with the success of the program.
"The number of seniors (who) have chosen to use it speaks for itself,"
Parrott said. "Medicare Part D had some problems. There were some
stumbling blocks for people."
Health and Human Services officials are reviewing the request by
Wisconsin's government to continue SeniorCare, said Bob Herskovitz, a
spokesman based in Chicago. It will take some time before federal
officials decide what to do about the program.
"It's too early until we look at everything and see all the pieces and
do the final analysis," he said. "Realistically, we will work very
closely with the state of Wisconsin to come to an understanding of
their program."
Labels: No Prescription, Online Pharmacy, Prescription Drugs
# posted by Network @ 5:40 PM
