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State Launches Prescription Discount Card Program
Monthly Cost Savings To Range From 5 Percent To 25 Percent
POSTED: 1:39 pm EDT September 21, 2004
Low-income seniors and working families without prescription drug coverage can begin applying Tuesday for a state discount card that will cut the cost of their medication by an average 20 percent a month.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm will officially kick off the enrollment period for the Michigan Prescription Discount Card, or the MiRx card, on Tuesday at a Kroger Food and Pharmacy in Farmington Hills. She proposed the discount program in her State of the State address in January.
State health officials expect as many as 200,000 senior citizens and low-income people to receive a discount card. Participants are required to be a resident of Michigan, have no other prescription drug coverage and have an income at or below 300 percent of poverty -- $56,550 for a family of four.
The enrollment period will continue indefinitely and there is no cost to enroll.
"We're trying to direct this to families of low income that currently might have some health care coverage, but no prescription coverage," said David McLaury, director of the state health department's medicaid financial management division.
McLaury said the state hopes to have 50,000 people in the program in its first six months.
People who are eligible could begin getting a discount as early as Oct. 1, McLaury said. The program doesn't need the approval of state lawmakers.
Cost savings will range from 5 percent to 25 percent a month, depending on the individual's needs, prescription and medicine. A discount drug card would mean paying less for drugs including Viagra and birth control. The card won't cover drugs available without a prescription.
"Basically, what you're doing is receiving a cash discount over normal customary charges," McLaury said.
Nearly 1.4 million Michigan residents who receive Medicaid benefits aren't eligible for the discount drug card because they already are getting help paying for their medicine, McLaury said. Participants in county drug discount programs also won't be eligible for the state program. Low-income seniors covered by the Elder Prescription Insurance Coverage program also can't get the new discount card.
However, Medicare recipients who don't get a prescription drug discount are eligible.
Nearly all pharmacies in the state will accept the prescription drug card, including major chains such as CVS and Rite Aid and a number of independent pharmacies across the state.
The state is not paying for the new prescription drug coverage because its partner in the Medicaid program, First Health Services Corporation, bargained with pharmacies and drug makers for the discounts, McLaury said. The savings mainly comes from rebates the state gets from the drug manufacturers, he said.
Applications will be available through local offices of the Family Independence Agency and other human services programs. Applications also are available online and by telephone.
Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
source :-http://www.clickondetroit.com | 
