PETALUMA, CA -- U.S. Representative Lynn Woolsey is calling on the California Legislature to extend the emergency drug supply payment program for dual-eligible beneficiaries as they transition from Medical to Medicare.

Last night, the California Department of Health Services (CDHS) was given authority to provide the emergency program for 5 days.   Rep. Lynn Woolsey supports an extension of the program and will work on Capitol Hill to seek reimbursement to the state of California.

“The Republican controlled Congress supports a Medicare Prescription Drug program that benefits pharmaceutical companies, not America’s seniors,” said Rep. Lynn Woolsey.  “By providing emergency drug coverage, we will ensure that our seniors and the disabled receive the prescription drugs that they need throughout this transition."

Continued Woolsey, “But a temporary fix is no solution to this nationwide problem.  We must also clean out the Republican leadership in Washington, D.C. so that national legislation supports America’s communities, not the coffers of America’s special interests.”

This state sponsored emergency program will cover drug costs by Medi-Cal only if a pharmacy has tried and failed to obtain reimbursement from Medicare.  A “failure” means that the pharmacy’s claim has either been denied for reasons other than processing errors or due to the unavailability of complete or accurate enrollment information.  It can also apply if the beneficiary’s deductible or co-pay is higher than Medicare’s established $1-$5 co-pay amounts.

The assistance will help roughly 1 million dual-eligibles statewide. California becomes the 12th state to initiate a program to assist their seniors as problems with enrollment in the Part D program continue.  The other states include Connecticut, Arkansas, Illinois and Massachusetts.

Earlier this week Rep. Lynn Woolsey hosted town hall meetings in Sonoma and Marin Counties for constituents to discuss the Medicare Part D program with experts, Steve Deering, CMS Deputy Regional Administrator and Christine Tschummi, HICAP Project Director.

Rep. Woolsey voted against the Republican sponsored Medicare bill that raised concerns regarding provisions that privatize Medicare, force seniors to leave trusted doctors and hospitals, leave a huge gap in coverage, fail to lower drug prices, and provide no guaranteed benefit or premium.

Rep. Woolsey led 84 of her colleagues in resigning their AARP memberships, or promising to never become members in protest of the organization’s recent decision to support Medicare legislation that will undermine the future of the program.  Rep. Woolsey continues to fight for a prescription drug benefit for Seniors that is voluntary, guaranteed, affordable and provided as part of the Medicare program.