CMS Pulls Federal Funding From Wisconsin's SeniorCare Prescription Drug Program

CMS last week rejected a request for a new Medicaid waiver for SeniorCare, a Wisconsin prescription drug program for low-income seniors, the Washington Post reports (Lee, Washington Post, 4/10). In 2005, before the implementation of the Medicare prescription drug benefit, HHS issued a waiver to allow Wisconsin to continue to operate SeniorCare until at least June 30. SeniorCare has no monthly premiums, lower copayments than the Medicare prescription drug benefit and no gaps in coverage.

According to acting CMS Administrator Leslie Norwalk, the agency rejected the request for a new waiver because the state has not provided evidence that SeniorCare reduces costs for the federal government as required.

Connecting Tags; Medicare, Medicaid, economics, waiver, fan-the-flame, copower, prosynergy