State Stops Prescription Advantage Enrollment

As part of sweeping state cuts made to offset the budget deficit, the Commonwealth has stopped enrollment in its popular Prescription Advantage program. Beginning on February 1, Prescription Advantage stopped accepting all new applications.

The Prescription Advantage program began in April 2001, and is the first state-sponsored prescription drug insurance plan in the nation. It is administered by the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs.

Prior to February, the plan was open to Massachusetts residents 65 years of age or older (or disabled individuals under 65 who meet income requirements) who are not eligible for Medicaid. Prescription Advantage members pay a deductible and than modest co-payments for prescriptions. Once the deductible and co-payments reach a predefined level, a member doesn't pay any additional money for the rest of year.

All current Prescription Advantage members are strongly encouraged to stay in the program. If a member leaves the program, he or she will not be able to reenroll because of the recent cutbacks.

The Executive Office of Elder Affairs is currently determining if the Prescription Advantage program will be affected by any future cutbacks.

For those searching for other discount plans, some drug manufacturers have discount cards that offer free or low-cost prescriptions to income-eligible individuals. MVES' Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE) program has a bulletin, "Prescription Drug Options for Elders in Massachusetts," that is a good resource for people searching for alternate plans. Elders are cautioned to carefully read over membership plans as membership fees can vary greatly. In addition to MVES, MassMedLine is a useful resource for elders and can be reached at 1-866-633-1617.