Maryland Senate Approves Seniors’ Prescription Drug Assistance Package

The Maryland Senate, "frustrated by congressional inaction" on a Medicare prescription drug benefit, on March 20 unanimously approved a $20 million plan that would help an additional 72,000 seniors cover "rapidly rising" pharmaceutical costs, the Washington Post reports. Under the bill, the state would provide an additional $12 million to the Maryland Pharmacy Assistance Program, which allows residents earning up to 116% of the federal poverty level, or an annual income of about $9,965 for an individual, to purchase drugs with a $5 copayment. The legislation would extend the limit to about 120% percent FPL, or an annual income of about $10,300 for an individual, covering about 7,000 more residents, state Sen. Thomas Bromwell (D), the bill's chief sponsor, said. In addition, the measure would allocate $8 million for a statewide version of Medbank of Maryland Inc., a Baltimore-area program that helps low-income residents obtain free prescription drugs offered by manufacturers. The program would help about 50,000 residents, Bromwell said. The bill also would buoy a program established last year to help rural seniors after Medicare HMOs pulled out of Western Maryland and the Eastern Shore. While few seniors enrolled in the program, which required participants to pay about $600 a year for about $1,000 in drugs, the new plan would lower annual costs to about $240 and increase the drug benefit to $1,200. In addition, the measure would enjoin state health officials to ask for a federal waiver to allow Medicare patients to purchase drugs at the discounted price charged to Medicaid beneficiaries. "We have a crisis with prescription drugs in this country ... and it will be at least two years before Congress gives us some type of a solution," Bromwell said, adding, "You can tell by the unanimous vote, people want this program."

Will Glendening Support It?
The state Senate prescription drug measure "differs substantially" from a proposal under consideration in the state House, which would expand state programs by about $10 million annually for two years to "give Congress time to act" (Montgomery, Washington Post, 3/21). Under the House plan, low-income seniors who do not qualify for Medicaid would receive prescription drug discounts from pharmacies, with drug companies paying a "substantial portion" of the cost (Barker, Baltimore Sun, 3/21). Still, neither bill has "won support" from Maryland Gov. Parris Glendening (D), who has proposed no additional funding for prescription drug assistance in the 2002 state budget. He has agreed to "look for extra cash" but has warned lawmakers to "set their sights low." According to Glendening spokesperson Michael Morrill, "If we can find a sustainable way to help out seniors most in need over the next couple of years until we transition to whatever the federal government passes, we would like to do that." Advocates for seniors "applauded" the state Senate's plan, but added that "much could change" before the Maryland Legislature adjourns April 9. "This is a welcome and much-needed first step in addressing the problems that seniors face. But much more needs to be done," David Conn, director of the Maryland Jewish Alliance, said (Washington Post, 3/21). "It's good to see them do something, but I'm not sure that is the answer. The prices of drugs are going up so much faster than the cost of living," Charlie Culbertson, president of United Seniors of Maryland, added (Baltimore Sun, 3/21).