As Medicare tangles, state guarantees prescriptions (MA)

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Some seniors were denied medication
By Jeffrey Krasner, Globe Staff  |  January 10, 2006

State health officials yesterday ordered pharmacists to fill prescriptions under the new Medicare drug plan after learning that some senior citizens are being denied their medications.

The emergency action was taken after federal Medicare officials spoke with state officials about similar measures taken by other states -- including Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont -- since the benefit went into effect Jan 1. Some seniors have been unable to get prescriptions filled because pharmacists cannot confirm their new insurance coverage.

''We didn't want to wait any longer," said state Medicaid director Beth Waldman. ''We wanted to make sure folks weren't walking away from the pharmacies without their medication.

"http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/2006/01/10/as_medicare_tangles_state_guarantees_prescriptions/


-----good to see the new Medicare Drug plan is working out so well. Not.

[MountainLaurel]

1. Good for them

My mother is in the middle of helping my grandmother deal with this. They have absolutely no idea what to do and where to go: The "help" materials are so confusing that my grandmother's doctor doesn't understand them. Meanwhile, there exists the question of whether my gram will be able to afford the medication she needs to keep her healthy and alive: She had been getting them for free under a state charity program, which was apparently forced to close under this new Medicare plan.