Prescripton Drug Assistance Bill Passes in DC
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2004-04-01 17:38:00-05:00
On March 24, Mayor Anthony A. Williams signed critical prescription drug assistance legislation into law. The AccessRx Act of 2004, which was strongly supported by AARP DC, is the first of its kind to pass in the District of Columbia. It creates an important new program to help District citizens manage the cost of prescription drugs.
AccessRx Act of 2004:
- Creates a drug subsidy program for low- and moderate-income seniors who need it most — DC residents age 62 and older with household incomes up to 200% of the poverty level (about $18,600 for individuals and $25,000 for couples)
- Provides price discounts to uninsured District residents with incomes up to 350% of the poverty level (about $36,000 for individuals and $43,700 for couples or $66,000 for a family of four)
- Saves DC taxpayers money by allowing the District to leverage its buying power to capture savings and use those savings to help its citizens
- Uses measures such as a preferred drug list, manufacturers ' rebates, pharmacy discounts and aggregate purchasing to hold down costs while ensuring consumers have access to drugs they need
The AARP DC President, staff and advocacy volunteers lobbied hard for the passage of this bill, which marks an important positive step in AARP's prescription drug affordability and cost containment campaign.
"We stand behind this measure to give DC citizens greater access to affordable prescription drugs," explained AARP DC Director Mimi Castaldi. "We look forward to working with the Department of Health to ensure that our residents have access to the safest and most effective treatments."
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