| Many mentally ill, low-income seniors are worse off under Medicare's new prescription drug
benefit than they were under Medicaid, according to new research announced last week. The
American Psychiatric Association said in CQ Today that insurers participating in the Medicare
Part D drug benefit are denying people many medicines for mental illness that the government
says they should cover. The result, according to the association, has been increased
hospitalization of low-income, mentally ill seniors and increased observations of suicidal and
violent behavior and homelessness. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
told insurers that they must cover "all or substantially all" of the drugs included in two broad
classes of psychotropic medicines under Part D: antidepressants and antipsychotics. But the
requirement is not set in law: It is merely part of "guidance" that CMS issues to insurers. |