Advocacy Alert!

Proposed Cuts to Medical Assistance for

the Elderly and People with Disabilities

By now, you have heard that the Governor’s Supplemental Budget contains the elimination of the Drugs for the Elderly (DEL) Program.  This cut will reduce eligibility in the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) for tens of thousands of Maine low-income seniors and disabled adults.  Specifically, about 40,000 elderly and disabled people in Maine will lose all or some of the help they currently receive through the Medicare Savings Program to help pay for Medicare premiums, co-payments and deductibles, prescription drug costs, and coverage through the so-called “donut hole”. 

 

On January 18th, we got one step closer to this cut becoming a realty.  The Health and Human Services Committee voted 7-6 to keep the elimination of the DEL (and associated cuts to MSP) program in the Supplemental Budget.  In an hour, this Committee will report its decision to the Appropriations Committee.  The Appropriations Committee will decide on this cut before the end of the month (the timing of the vote is not known at this point).  The Appropriations Committee rejected these same cuts last session because they heard from so many people who would be affected by the cuts and by those who care for them. 

 

We need everyone to get involved to save the DEL/MSP Programs!  And, we need you to act now!  If you can make calls, please call members of the Appropriations Committee and ask them to vote against the cuts to DEL/MSP.  You can find their contact information here:  http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/jt_com/afa.htm.  You can also call your representative and your senator.  You can find them by town at http://www.maine.gov/legis/house/townlist.htm. 

 

Please tell Legislators that our low-income seniors are already struggling to pay for food and to heat their homes.  If these cuts go through, many will stop taking their medication as prescribed – cutting pills in half, taking the medication every other day, or just stopping it altogether.  These seniors will become at risk for serious health problems that will cost us all more in the end through increased hospitalizations and long term care supports.  Please note that these programs are paid for through the Fund For Healthy Maine – Maine’s tobacco settlement dollars – NOT through tax payer dollars. 

  

Please make sure to pass this information along to others who may care about this issue.