Waiver for prescription drug assistance for elderly program, use of excess moneys in prescription drug assistance for elderly program, and making an appropriation. (FE)

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

This bill requires the Department of Health Services to obtain any waiver of federal Medicaid laws necessary to continue administration of SeniorCare and to implement any waiver received for the administration of SeniorCare. The bill also requires that any general purpose revenue moneys remaining after paying pharmacies and pharmacists, any program revenue moneys remaining after paying pharmacies and pharmacists and paying for program administration, and any federal moneys remaining be used by DHS for the following purposes: to reduce enrollment costs for seniors participating in SeniorCare, to reduce the prices paid by SeniorCare enrollees for prescription drugs, and to enlarge the number of prescription drugs available through the SeniorCare program.

Under current law, DHS administers the SeniorCare program, which provides assistance to the elderly in the purchase of prescription drugs. The program is operated under a waiver of federal Medicaid laws, but DHS is required to implement the program regardless of whether the waiver is received from the federal Department of Health and Human Services. Some of the moneys to administer the SeniorCare program derive from the federal government and other moneys come from the state's GPR or from PR. Moneys from GPR are used to pay pharmacies and pharmacists under the SeniorCare program. PR from rebate payments by manufacturers is used to pay pharmacies and pharmacists and PR from payment of enrollment fees is used for administration of SeniorCare.

Who's behind it

10 senators are its authors⁠. All 10 are Democrats.

24 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.