Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Utah will be reimbursed for the hundreds of thousands of dollars it is spending to shore up the troubled Medicare drug benefit program, according to state health officials.
Federal authorities have promised to pay the state for covering the health claims of low-income Utah residents who qualify for both the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs, the state officials said.
As of Wednesday, the state Health Department spent $422,000 filling 5,265 prescription claims for 2,375 low-income seniors and disabled residents who qualify for federal coverage.
Comprising about 12 percent of the state's "dual eligibles," these Utah residents were supposed to be automatically enrolled in one of Medicare's new private prescription-drug plans on Jan. 1, but encountered problems with their coverage, state officials said.
Costs continue to mount as calls flow into the state's help line: 800-662-9651.
Michael Hales, acting Medicaid director, said the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has promised Utah a full refund, including administrative costs now totaling $75,000.
Utah has 260,664 residents who are eligible for the new drug benefit. Of those, 116,163 have enrolled themselves or were automatically placed in plans by the government.
The state is one of about 20 that has taken emergency steps to aid confused seniors and pharmacists.
Health officials have not set a moratorium on the aid.
Hales said federal officials told him they want to fix the problem by Feb. 15.
Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has been touring the country to promote progress solving benefit problems. He has blamed the difficulties on computer problems and on the high number of senior citizens and disabled people who chose drug plans late in December, just before the benefit took effect.
Mike Kelly, outpatient pharmacy director for University Health Care, said the difficulties in getting customers their medications have decreased at UHC's 13 pharmacies.
"It has been smoothing out, not that it's completely smooth," Kelly said. "I think the pharmacists are becoming more familiar with the different ways of verifying eligibility. And customers are becoming more savvy and bringing in more documentation."
------
Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
