State continues drug cost aid for elderly poor

OLYMPIA – In a move that senior-citizen advocates called a lifeline for some poor elderly people struggling to pay for multiple prescriptions, the state on Friday agreed to keep paying part of the drug cost for thousands of Washingtonians on Medicare.

“It is the absolute right thing to do,” said Gov. Chris Gregoire, signing the bill into law.

The bill, HB 1095, continues last year’s reprieve from $1 to $3 co-payments for about 100,000 low-income people who are eligible for both Medicaid, a health plan for the poor, and Medicare, which provides care for people over age 65 and disabled people.

The plan will cost the state about $7 million a year.

“It’s money well spent,” said freshman Rep. Don Barlow, D-Spokane, the prime sponsor of the bill. “Can you imagine trying to live on $600 a month and trying to afford your medicine?”

Under Medicare reforms approved by Congress in 2003, such “dual-eligible” people are required to pay $1 toward the cost of each generic and $3 for each brand-name prescription that government pays for.

That seemingly small amount adds up quickly for the thousands of dual-eligible people taking 7 to 15 prescriptions a day, Gregoire said. Many are living on tiny fixed incomes of $600 or less a month.

“It caused confusion. It caused alarm,” she said. “Our hotline had a number of calls from individuals who not only expressed concern but said they were on the verge of committing suicide.”

Some patients were skipping or splitting doses to save money, she said.

Among those pushing for the bill: the senior citizens advocacy group AARP, which said that the change provides both better health and peace of mind for thousands of the state’s most vulnerable citizens.