Action Alerts: 03.21.11

Contact your New York State Assembly Member and Senator today and tell them to stand up for Medicaid beneficiaries.

Ask them to correct harmful changes to Medicaid in the Governor Cuomo’s budget that would impose barriers to beneficiaries and reduce access to care. Click here for more information.

The following changes would hurt people living with HIV:

1. Requiring prior authorization for exempt classes of drugs such as HIV/AIDS anti-retrovirals, anti-psychotics, anti-rejection drugs and anti-depressants that are exempt. In the case of HIV, the most effective drugs are relatively new and still under patent.  Removing the exemption will create an additional layer of bureaucracy and delay patient access to necessary drugs.  It will limit doctors’ ability to prescribe the best latest treatment to their patients. 
    
2. Changes to the Preferred Drug List that would remove "provider prevails" patient protections.  This change would take decision-making power away from doctors who know their patients best.  Removing these protections would result in delayed treatment as prescribers would need to provide clinical justification for a non-preferred drug and wait for prior authorization.
    
3. The elimination of the “Part D Wrap” in Medicaid for dually eligible beneficiaries.  Elimination of the wrap would mean that beneficiaries would have to pay out-of-pocket for any prescription that is not covered by Medicare Part D. The result would be that beneficiaries would not be able to access needed medications.
4. A two percent uniform across-the-board reduction in reimbursement for providers. This change would adversely affect client access to services because fewer providers would accept Medicaid beneficiaries. 

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver: 518.455.3791

Senate Majority leader Dean Skelos: 518.455.3171

Assembly Member Dick Gottfried: 518.455.5939

Senator Tom Duane: 518.455.2451

Senator Kemp Hannon: 518.455.2200

Also, please call the state Senator and Assembly Member that represents your district

To find your state Senator and Assembly member visit the New York State Board of elections and enter your address: http://nymap.elections.state.ny.us/nysboe/

Or

To find your State Senator click here or call NYS Senate switchboard: 518.455.2800

To find your State Assembly Member click here.