Wisconsin’s Senior Drug Program Begins; Florida Group Helps Alzheimer’s Caregivers with Drug Costs

Wisconsin's prescription drug assistance program for seniors took effect Sept. 1, and about 42,000 low-income seniors are expected to receive SeniorCare program identification cards by this weekend, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. More than 46,000 seniors have applied for the program since July 1 (Hansen, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/1). To qualify for the program, a couple must have an annual household income of $28,656 or less. All participants will pay a $20 enrollment fee and depending on income level, some will be required to pay a $500 annual deductible. Participants also will pay $5 for each generic drug and $15 for each brand-name drug (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 7/2). A department spokesperson estimates that about 177,000 of the 325,000 eligible Wisconsin seniors will enroll in the program. Approximately 1,100 Wisconsin pharmacies - in addition to 200 pharmacies in neighboring states -- have agreed to participate in the plan. State Rep. Peggy Krusick (D) said she plans to reintroduce legislation that would increase the program's income eligibility limit by 25% in January. "Wisconsin [SeniorCare] is one of the most generous [prescription drug] programs out there, but there's no question more seniors do need to be eligible," Krusick said (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/1).

Florida Organization to Start Trial Drug Program
As part of a trial program, the not-for-profit Alzheimer's Community Care, Inc. on Oct. 1 will begin assisting a select group of Palm Beach County, Fla., Alzheimer's disease patients and their caregivers with the cost of medications and will track the health of both the patient and the caregiver, the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports. The program will identify 20 to 30 families "struggling with hefty medical expenses and limited incomes" and will follow them for two years, subsidizing all or part of the family's medical expenses, according to financial need. Although the program will subsidize prescription drugs for both the Alzheimer's patient and the caregiver, the focus of the program is on the health of the caregiver, according to ACC Executive Director Mary Barnes. Barnes anticipates that the program will show that a small prescription drug subsidy can prevent a "big-ticket medical crisis" for the caregiver later. "It might take no more than $100 to $150 a month for medications to keep the caregiver healthy and at home, and keep the patient out of a nursing home," Barnes said. If the trial program is successful, the group plans to extend the program (Lade, Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, 9/2).