At Main Drugs in Lucedale, nearly a dozen worried patients called by lunchtime Tuesday wanting to know how they'll cope after they lose Medicaid benefits next month.

It's been that way almost every day in the past couple of weeks, said store worker Ramona Moons. 

"They're calling up here crying and screaming. They don't know what to do," said Moons, whose son-in-law is the owner and pharmacist at Main Drugs. 
Letters were mailed recently to the 65,000 Mississippians who are losing Medicaid coverage as part of a money-saving move by the state. The change takes place July 1, the beginning of the new fiscal year. 

Medicaid is funded by federal and state dollars and provides health coverage for the needy, aged, blind and disabled and for low-income families with children. 

Officials say 60,000 of the people being removed from Medicaid rolls will be covered by Medicare, which is fully funded by the federal government. Gov. Haley Barbour says he's seeking federal permission to let Medicaid keep covering those who don't immediately qualify for Medicare. 

The big concern among many patients who are going to the federal program is that they'll get far less prescription-drug coverage. 

Medicare is starting a drug benefit July 1 that offers a $600 annual benefit per patient this year and again in 2005. 

Under Medicaid, patients had been receiving up to seven prescriptions a month, with a few dollars out-of-pocket expense. That's being changed to four brand-name drugs and unlimited generics for people staying on the program. 
States have until Jan. 1, 2006, to move qualified patients from Medicaid to Medicare, which is supposed to have a more extensive drug program by then. 

Many Mississippi lawmakers now say that even in tight budget times, they regret voting to move thousands off Medicaid. They want Barbour to call them into special session before July 1 to undo the changes. 

Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee chairman Alan Nunnelee, R-Tupelo, said Tuesday that many pharmaceutical companies offer programs to help low-income patients get free or discounted drugs. 

He said that last Friday, the governor's office gave legislators a list of 1,300 drugs with information about how patients can apply to get the drugs free or at a discount.