People With Mental Illnesses Experience Problems With New Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage
Posted on: Wednesday, 18 January 2006, 15:00 CST
ROCKVILLE, Md., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is being issued by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare:
WHAT: Telephone Media Briefing detailing the problems that those with mental illnesses and dually eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, are experiencing in changing over to the new Medicare drug benefit. WHEN: Thursday, January 19 at 1 pm EST. To participate, call 1-866-809-4014 (enter passcode 9846200). WHO: The briefing will feature: Consumers covered by the new Medicare prescription benefit who have had problems * Harvey Rosenberg, Bethesda, MD * Gerry Champa, Bethesda, MD * Beverly Thomas, Carbondale, IL Mental health providers who will discuss the impact of the transition * Susan Flippin, Clinical Services Assistant, Peninsula Community Mental Health Center, Port Angeles, WA * Heather Austin, Case Management Services Manager, Southern Illinois Regional Social Services, Carbondale, IL Experts who will highlight trends and possible solutions * Linda Rosenberg, President and CEO, National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare * Chuck Ingoglia, Director of Technical Assistance, National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare WHY: Nearly 6.3 million Americans dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid and another 8.2 million low-income persons have had to turn to Medicare for their prescription drug coverage since January 1, 2006. The transition has posed significant problems, especially for people with mental illnesses. * Many who were told they wouldn't have to pay for their prescriptions have had to come up with high co-pays or be turned away as they've tried to fill their prescriptions. * Prescription Drug Plans are rejecting claims from low-income persons enrolled by CMS, saying that these persons are not eligible. * Many plans are requiring physicians and psychiatrists to obtain pre-authorizations, but no one is available to provide the pre- authorizations. These and many other incidents reported to the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare point to the multitude of issues that need to be addressed with the new Medicare prescription drug coverage.
The National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare is a not-for- profit, 501(c)(3) association of healthcare organizations that provide mental health and substance use treatment and support services to nearly 6 million adults, children and families in communities across the U.S.
First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact:
National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
CONTACT: Meena Dayak of the National Council for Community BehavioralHealthcare, +1-301-984-6200, ext. 228 OR +1-301-602-8474 or emailMeenaD@nccbh.org
Web site: http://www.nccbh.org/
Source: PRNewswire
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