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If you live in Utah and your meds are covered by Medicaid - you should be aware of these proposed changes in prescription coverage ... as should everyone -- other cost-cutting actions could happen elsewhere as many states are strapped for money. Note the article says, " Medicaid announced the changes, which take effect Jan. 1, in a Dec. 14 letter to clients. Excluded from the limitations are pregnant women and children under 21. Also exempted are medicines for illnesses such as AIDS, cancer and diabetes, along with some high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart medications." --It is nice that the Utah Health Department provided exemptions for at least some serious illnesses, but you have to wonder if they understand the needs for Parkinson's medications at all? Linda Herman P.S. On a less serious note -- If anyone, especially those in warm climates, would like some snow ( just think - you could be the only one on your block with a snowman in your yard) -- please just call anyone in Buffalo N.Y. We are running out of places to put it! ARTICLE FROM: The Salt Lake Tribune December 28, 2001, Friday SECTION: Final; Pg. D2 HEADLINE: Medicaid Prescription-Limit Plan Under Fire; Advocates consider legal action on behalf of elderly, disabled BYLINE: ASHLEY E. BROUGHTON, THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE "Advocates for the elderly and disabled said Thursday they are considering legal action after a proposed cost-cutting measure that would limit Medicaid recipients to seven prescriptions per month. "This particular policy will kill people," said Barbara Nelson, an independent physician who practices geriatric medicine in several Salt Lake City-area nursing homes. "We're talking very frail people here." The state Department of Health, which oversees Utah's Medicaid program, says it had no choice but to impose the limits, given a $ 200 million state budget shortfall. The only other option would have been to eliminate another service. "We realize that there are a lot of people that require more than seven prescriptions," said spokesman Steve McDonald. Hopefully, the limits will be temporary, he said. Medicaid announced the changes, which take effect Jan. 1, in a Dec. 14 letter to clients. Excluded from the limitations are pregnant women and children under 21. Also exempted are medicines for illnesses such as AIDS, cancer and diabetes, along with some high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart medications. Nelson said her average patient takes more than 12 medicines; some have more than 20. That includes over-the-counter pain relievers or vitamins, which were also covered by Medicaid. "Those are things that we just can't say, 'Well, you can't have it.' " Also, advocates are concerned about mental health medications. "You may be taking four or five medications for a psychiatric disorder, and God forbid, you get an ear infection," said Fraser Nelson, executive director of the Disability Law Center. "We're pretty irate . . . it's just horrifically handled. We've been getting phone calls from a lot of people with disabilities, people in nursing homes, nursing home staff." The staff is preparing in case formal legal action is needed, said Rob Denton, senior attorney for the law center. "We've tried to let the Department of Health know we're getting all these calls and a lot of pressure." Medicaid is a federal low-income program that uses state matching funds. To qualify, recipients usually need to meet income requirements and be older than 65, blind, permanently disabled or have a child under 18. A statement sent out by Medicaid said the cuts were discussed at the Medical Care Advisory Committee's monthly meeting Dec. 20. But Ted Loosli, vice chairman of that committee and board chairman of the Disability Rights Action Committee, said the medication limits weren't mentioned. "They talked about the budget and asked for some ideas," he said. The committee is planning a protest for tomorrow. "[The medications] are allowing people to work and stay productive," Loosli said. "They'll end up back in the hospital. It's just going to end up costing more money." Those with more than seven prescriptions, after checking for exemptions, should "contact their doctors to see if all prescriptions are indeed required," according to a Medicaid statement. "Who's going to make that decision?" asked Barbara Nelson. "What's more important? The Parkinson's medication? The blood pressure medication?" The Medicaid statement also urges clients to look to family members or church organizations for help. A plan called "The Medicine Program" will work with medical providers to provide free medication for a low processing fee, it says. Still unknown, critics say, is how the agency plans to enforce the limit and if Medicaid will still cover additions like flu shots, among other questions. Nelson said she anticipates having to send patients at the seven-prescription limit to the hospital instead of treating ailments like pneumonia or urinary tract infections in the nursing home. And some patients, denied their psychotropic medication -- anti-anxiety or anti-psychotic medicine -- will become aggressive and violent, she said. "Then what do you do?" she asked. "Whoever thought of this did not think very long-range. They've opened a huge can of worms in this state." ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn