Medicare Rights
Center says Bush plan
for Medicare Drug Benefit 'inadequate'
New York, NY – Below is a
statement from Robert M. Hayes, president of the Medicare Rights
Center, regarding the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) release of final regulations to implement the 2006
Medicare Drug Benefit.
We are encouraged that the
Administration recognizes the grave risk 6.4 million poor
Americans face when their prescription drug coverage under
Medicaid ends on December 31,
2005. It is a train wreck waiting to happen.
We are dismayed
that the regulations issued today do little to avoid the
humanitarian debacle that faces the poorest and sickest
Americans, many of whom will lose their access to the medicines
they need. The systems are not, and will not be in place to
maintain consistent drug coverage for the most vulnerable
Americans.
The
Administration’s steps to move up enrollment of the poorest
older and disabled Americans into Medicare drug coverage are
welcome but inadequate. They do not address the reality:
Medicaid must temporarily continue for people whose Medicare
drug plans cannot be verified at the time they buy their
medications. CMS must require Medicare drug plans to offer open
formularies or honor Medicaid program formularies and pharmacy
network agreements through 2006.
Otherwise, millions
of Americans in great need will face needless illness, suffering
and a greater risk of premature death. They will be among the
men and women left worse off by the 2003 Medicare legislation.
The 1,162 pages of
regulations cover hundreds of issues and require careful review.
We are pleased with some of the changes we have seen and
disappointed by the absence of others.
One point jumps
out: this failure by the Administration to address realistically
the human misery that faces poor Americans next January will
threaten the health of millions of men and women, and will haunt
all people who recognize the moral value of health care for our
neighbors in need.
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Medicare
Rights Center (MRC) is the largest
independent source of health care information and assistance in
the United States for people with Medicare. Founded in 1989, MRC
helps older adults and people with disabilities get good,
affordable health care.