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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Rep.
Don Walko |
State Rep. Don Walko |
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Walko introduces bill to help Pa. adults who lack drug coverage
HARRISBURG, April 4 – State Rep. Don Walko, D-Allegheny, has introduced legislation to help Pennsylvania adults who lack prescription-drug coverage to obtain the medications they need.
“We have successfully provided prescription-drug coverage to hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians through the Children’s Health Insurance Program, PACE Plus Medicare for seniors, and the limited-scope adultBasic insurance program,” Walko said. “But many working adults don’t receive prescription coverage through their employers, and we need to help them, too.”
Walko’s bill (H.B. 877) is modeled on a program called Medbank that already operates in several other states. In Pennsylvania, Medbank would act as a clearinghouse for the more than 200 patient-assistance programs offered by drug companies.
“Prescription drugs have never been more important, and the people who rely on them most are increasingly finding themselves uninsured or with coverage that is becoming more expensive,” Walko said.
Walko said Medbank would offer these unique advantages:
- There are more than 200 patient assistance programs that it can access, covering over 900 brand-name medications -- not just programs sponsored by companies that do business in Pennsylvania.
- A highly cost-effective, one-stop shopping approach to qualifying and enrolling participants in all the available patient-assistance programs.
- A long history of performance: since 2001, Medbank has reached more than 30,000 patients and delivered more than $90 million in free medications.
- A built-in prescription renewal system to ensure continuation of medications to patients.
- Software developed by Medbank streamlines and consistently updates the new drugs available, and most importantly, it updates any changes to the more than 200 forms that these programs require for enrollment.
Walko said that Medbank would continue to fill gaps in prescription drug coverage even if Gov. Ed Rendell’s health-care reform proposal is enacted. Medbank would be administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Insurance.
The bill has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee for consideration.
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