The Assembly one-house budget bill does not address the difficulties that Medicaid recipients are experiencing in accessing prescription drugs.
On October 1, 2012, the Medicaid pharmacy benefit moved into managed care which means that over 3 million people are attempting to access prescription drugs through 21 different health plans. Each health plan has its own list of drugs that it will cover. This has caused confusion and loss of prescription drug access for some Medicaid beneficiaries.
In some cases, patients are being denied prescription drugs that they have taken for months and sometimes years. Health care providers are finding, for the first time, that their patients are unable to get the drugs that they prescribe.
In a recent Associated Press story on Medicaid prescription drug access, the Governor’s office claimed that allowing prescribers to prevail would cost the state up to $30 million a year. In contrast, the Department of Health stated that very few drug claims are denied upon appeal. Lawmakers should inquire, if so few denials occur after an appeal, how restoring prescriber prevails could possible cost $30 million per year? The Governor’s numbers don’t add up.
Please consider voicing your concerns on Medicaid prescription drug access to Speaker Silver today.
Ask him to fight for prescription drug access, as prescribed by a health care provider, for all Medicaid beneficiaries.
Call Speaker Silver at 518.455.3791 or email at [email protected] or Find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sheldon-Silver/107484575940751?ref=ts
Read the full message.
-Jaime Venditti, 3/12/12