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Help Control Damage from Part D
September 2005
A few sign-on letters are circulating, or were sent and still need letters in support, to control damage from the Part D tsunami wave...
First, a letter is now being circulated that seeks organizations to sign on. This is about the position taken by DOH that Medicaid offices will not process applications for the "Low Income Subsidy" or Extra Help - they are referring people only to the SSA. The letter explains why this will hurt many people. If you are willing to sign on to this letter, please Denise Soffel at the Community Service Society by Monday Oct. 3rd. dsoffel@cssny.org or 212-614-5308.
Second, another letter is being sent asking that dual eligibles on Medicaid and Medicare be exempted from a new preferred drug program about to go into effect for Medicaid recipients. Medicaid has said that it will "wrap around" the Part D benefit, so that drugs not covered by Part D will be covered by Medicaid. However, with the new preferred drug program, before Medicaid "wraps," the beneficiary may have to negotiate an internal Medicaid appeal. This program will impose a double burden on dual eligibles who will not only have to negotiate the new Part D benefit, but also will have to negotiate a new prior approval system in Medicaid to get a vital medication. If you would like to add your name to the list of organizations that endorse this letter, e-mail Elizabeth Paul IMMEDIATELY at epaul@cidny.org. Of course we would encourage you to use your con! tacts with SDOH and the Governor's office to press this issue.
Third, because the transition is expected to be so difficult, with thousands of people with disabilities not even knowing what drug plan they are enrolled in, let alone how to use it, we have asked state DOH to exercise an option given by the federal CMS agency to give advance refills of 90 days to Medicaid recipients in December.
The attached letter was sent on August 1, 2005, signed by various groups. At the time, we rushed to get the letter out and didn't reach out to many important organizations such as yours. DOH has not said "yes," but they have also not said "no" so we are asking you and other groups to contact DOH and the Governor's office to take this option. We hope you would be willing to write a letter to the DOH Commissioner and to your contacts at DOH and the Governor's office and indicate your support for what is requested in the letter. Feel free to attach the letter to whatever you send. I'd ap! preciate your sending me a copy
Thanks.
Valerie J. Bogart, Director
Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program
Selfhelp Community Services, Inc.
520 Eighth Avenue, 5th fl.
New York, NY 10018
tel 212.971.7693
fax 212.947.8737
vbogart@selfhelp.net
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