Nevada Senior Prescription Program Reaches Enrollment Goal Ahead of Schedule

The elimination of monthly premiums has allowed Nevada's prescription drug insurance program for low-income seniors to reach its enrollment goal more than one year before its deadline, the Las Vegas Sun reports. The original SeniorRx program, started in 1999 and funded by a portion of the state's share of the national tobacco settlement, required participating seniors to pay a monthly premium of approximately $30 in addition to prescription copays. This structure, according to state Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley (D), was "not affordable for seniors," and resulted in statewide enrollment stalling at 250 as of June 1. Over the summer, however, Buckley worked with Gov. Kenny Guinn (R) to "restructure" the program, eliminating the monthly premium for seniors with annual incomes less than $21,500. Since the change, the program's enrollment has grown to 3,582 seniors. Under a law passed this year, the state would have assumed control of the program, which is operated through a private insurance company, if enrollment did not reach 3,500 seniors by Dec. 31, 2002 (Ryan, Las Vegas Sun, 10/5).