covering illegal imigrants

Hospitals are required to screen and treat all those who arrive at their emergency rooms. But they receive only partial compensation for illegal immigrants, through emergency Medicaid and, for the last few years, through Section 1011 of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003, a program that expired in October. That partial coverage ends when the patient is stabilized.

But hospitals are also required to discharge safely patients who need continuing care, leading to their quandary: they generally cannot find nursing homes to accept illegal immigrants, or legal ones with less than five years' residency, because long-term care is not covered by emergency Medicaid.

FY08 Funding for Prescription Advantage

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The fiscal year 2008 budget included over $60.5 million to fund Prescription Advantage. This funding level for Prescription Advantage is based on Medicare Part D providing the primary prescription drug coverage for most of the program’s members and Prescription Advantage providing supplemental assistance with Part D premiums, co-payments, deductibles and coverage gaps. Prescription Advantage will continue to provide primary coverage for members not eligible for Medicare.
Please note: The legislation which funds Prescription Advantage requires the Executive Office of Elder Affairs to operate the program within its appropriation for the current fiscal year; thus, during the course of the year, the Plan may be required to impose cost containment measures”.