Senate OKs prescription drug benefit funding fix

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Senate on Tuesday approved legislation that would retool Missouri's existing prescription medication benefit for the elderly to fill a coverage gap in a new federal drug program.

The federal plan, which President George W. Bush signed into law last year, requires participating senior citizens to pay the first $250 of their pharmaceutical costs with Medicare covering 75 percent of expenses up to $2,250. After reaching that amount, however, seniors are left without coverage until their drug bills hit $5,100 and the program again kicks in with Medicare paying 95 percent of drug expenses.

The bill the state Senate sent to the House of Representatives on a 33-0 vote would plug the so-called "doughnut hole" in the federal benefit. The state would pay for 75 percent of the $2,850 coverage gap.

The measure is jointly sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Ken Jacob, D-Columbia -- two men who are often on the opposite sides of issue and are each seeking their respective party's nominations for lieutenant governor this year.

"This holds the promise of being one of the greatest bipartisan successes of this session," Kinder said.

Gov. Bob Holden, a Democrat, also supports the change. Kinder said House leaders have agreed to hold a committee hearing on the bill next week and take swift action to put the legislation on Holden's desk to be signed into law.

The existing Missouri Senior RX program would remain in place until Jan. 1, 2006, when the federal Medicare benefit takes effect. State funding of the revised program would be subject to annual appropriations by the legislature. Lawmakers would also have to reauthorize the state drug benefit every four years.

The bill is SB 1371.

mpowers@semissourian.com

(573) 635-4608