WASHINGTON, D.C. -Senator Susan Collins today applauded Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt's announcement of a plan to make certain that States are fully reimbursed for Medicare prescription costs that should have been paid for by the new Medicare Part D plans.
“I am pleased to see that Secretary Leavitt is living up to the promise he made to me personally,” said Senator Collins. “It is important that states such as Maine are fully reimbursed for the costs they incurred due to problems in implementing the new Medicare drug program.”
The plan, announced by Secretary Leavitt and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Mark McClellan, enables States to be fully reimbursed for their efforts to help ensure that their beneficiaries eligible for Medicare and Medicaid have access to their covered Medicare drugs as they move to their new Medicare Part D drug coverage. The plan also supports limiting the need for State reimbursement by supporting the use of Medicare payment systems whenever possible, and promotes the effective transition of dually eligible Medicare beneficiaries into their new Medicare coverage.
The new Medicare Part D program started January 1st, but due to computer errors and other start-up problems some pharmacies were unable to confirm enrollment of some seniors in the insurance plans. The State of Maine stepped in to temporarily cover the cost of the prescriptions for these seniors.