Tuesday, January 11, 2005

NAMI Submits Comments to CMS on Medicare Formulary GuidanceAnnouncement at the NAMI web site - "Efforts to implement the upcoming prescription drug benefit under Medicare have picked up pace in recent weeks with the publication of new guidance for prescription drug plans on formulary guidance and access restrictions and the publication this week of final guidelines for the model therapeutic classification system. Taken together, these two announcements establish important standards for the private sector drug plans that will be offering drug coverage to Medicare beneficiaries beginning in January 2006..." See also the CMS formulary guidelines (Adobe Acrobat format) and NAMI's comments.  
  

Tennessee drops 323,000 adults from MedicaidStory in the Raleigh News-Observer - "Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Monday that he will drop 323,000 adults from the state's expanded Medicaid program to save about $1.7 billion a year, but will preserve health coverage for children. The announcement capped weeks of negotiations between Bredesen and health care advocates in an effort to save a Tennessee program that offers coverage to the working poor who make too much money to qualify for regular Medicaid. Advocates said the cuts would be devastating and pleaded with the governor to reconsider the move..."