[Enews] Senate Joins Assembly in Pataki Medicare Coverage Veto Override

[NAMI-NYS Enews]

Pataki veto rolled back 
Legislators unanimously reject governor's stance, require state to pick up drug costs not covered by Medicare plan  
by JAMES M. ODATO, Albany Times Union February 8, 2006 
 
In a remarkable rejection of Gov. George Pataki's wishes, the Senate Tuesday unanimously joined the Assembly in a veto override, putting every member of both houses against the governor on a measure to safeguard prescription drug coverage for the elderly.
The Senate overrode Pataki's veto by a 58-0 vote without any debate. On Monday, the Assembly voted 141-0 in the same swift manner.

The override means the Legislature's law takes effect immediately. It calls for the state to pick up costs for medications not covered under Medicare D, the federal prescription drug program that started Jan. 1, but has several "glitches," according to Health Commissioner Antonia Novello.

Novello on Tuesday defended Pataki's veto, pointing out technical problems with the Legislature's measure. She said the governor already approved picking up the tab through March 8 for an estimated 600,000 people who, for various reasons, aren't showing up on Medicare rolls. They include people who were on Medicaid, the health program for the poor, but were supposed to be automatically transferred to Medicare D.

Pataki also called for picking up costs through July 1 for people in the system whose health plans aren't recognizing certain prescriptions.

Pataki's aides said the Legislature's move smacked of politics. Spokesman Kevin Quinn said the legislative fix is "an expensive election-year placebo that doesn't offer any new relief to our seniors and ultimately lets the federal government off the hook."

However, lawmakers said their action was necessary to assure senior citizens that they'll be able to get their prescriptions for as long as it takes to end the problems with the federal program....

-----------------

Legislature Overrides Pataki Veto of Medicare Safety Net   
The Associated Press   February 7, 2006

The state Legislature Tuesday unanimously voted to override Gov. George Pataki's veto of a bill that would have indefinitely provided a safety net for New Yorkers unable to get their medication through the new Medicare drug plan.

The Senate voted Tuesday to override the veto. The Assembly voted Monday.

The "wraparound" program in New York state covers any prescription drugs for the disabled and low-income seniors when they are unable to obtain them through the new federal drug plan, known as Part D.

Under the bill, that safety net would remain in place indefinitely until the state health commissioner deemed it no longer necessary.

Pataki, who is proposing to end the wraparound July 1 in his budget, said the bill wasn't necessary because implementation problems surrounding the drug plan should be worked out by then. After the deadline, Pataki promised to take additional measures if problems still existed.

Pataki, a Republican, enacted a temporary measure Jan. 13 directing the state Health Department to allow access to the drugs for seniors eligible for Medicare and Medicaid.

State Health Commissioner Antonia Novello on Tuesday said the wraparound had cost the state $68 million in January alone. 




Source:  Associated Press
Source:  Albany Times Union


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.naminys.org/pipermail/enews_naminys.org/attachments/20060209/244d4da2/attachment.htm