Governor Tim Pawlenty today signed a bill that will allow the Minnesota Department of Human Services to continue covering certain drug costs for low-income Minnesotans who have encountered difficulty with the new federal Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit. 

"This quick action by the legislature means that people in our state will receive their essential medication while the federal government continues to work on the problems with Medicare Part D," Governor Pawlenty said. "Minnesotans should not be turned away for prescription drugs because of computer glitches and data problems."
 
About 100,000 Minnesotans over 65 or with disabilities, whose drugs were previously covered by Medical Assistance (the state's Medicaid program), were transitioned to the new federal program. Many of these "dual eligibles" have been asked to pay incorrect deductibles, premium or co-payments, experienced enrollment problems or have left pharmacies without their prescriptions.
 
In January, Governor Pawlenty issued an emergency executive order that enabled the state to act as the payer of last resort for dual eligible Minnesotans. That order expired on February 17.
 
Last month, Governor Pawlenty requested a federal waiver to extend the state's authority to act as the payer of last resort. The federal government agreed to reimburse the state of Minnesota for the costs it incurred for Part D drug coverage, but that waiver expires at midnight tonight (March 7).
 
The bill signed today by Governor Pawlenty will allow the state to continue to act as the payer of last resort for Minnesotans eligible for both Medicare and Medical Assistance until April 15.
 
As of March 2, the state has paid $3.6 million for 52,500 claims. The bill signed today includes an appropriation of $570,000, which is the maximum projected state cost for covering for Part D payments.
 
Minnesota Medicaid Director Christine Bronson said federal officials continue working to resolve Part D issues and that DHS is working closely with them to resolve data problems in their system.