Here & Now

Budget Would Cut $15 Million From SeniorCare

Frederica Freyberg:

Now to our first Budget Watch segment: proposed cuts to SeniorCare, the State prescription drug program for people 65 and over. Governor Walker’s budget cuts Seniorcare by $15 million and would have people use the program as a supplement to Medicare Part D. 85,000 people are enrolled in SeniorCare for an annual fee of $30 with drug copays of $5 or $15.

Advocates for seniors have big concerns. Devon Christianson is the Director of the Brown County Aging and Disability Resource Center, an agency that assists seniors with these programs in the Green Bay-area. That’s where she joins us from and thanks very much for doing so.

Devon Christianson:

Thank you.

Frederica Freyberg:

So how do the two plans compare, Seniorcare and Medicare Part D?

Devon Christianson :

Well, Wisconsin has a really rich history around innovative design in public policy and programs for older adults and people with disabilities. Seniorcare is one of those innovative designs. Many States and, honestly, nationally — Wisconsin is looked to as a model around several of our programs. This is one that had bipartisan support when it was developed in 2002, and has been very loved, as you mentioned, by the 85,000 people in Wisconsin who benefit from it.

The reason people really enjoy and respect Seniorcare is that it’s a comprehensive, affordable prescription drug program that’s easy to use. The annual enrollment that people can do at any time. There isn’t a premium for use. They have multiple 95% of the pharmacies in Wisconsin accept and work with FamilyCare. And, like I said, it’s affordable for individuals. Part D is a much more complicated program. There are currently, in 2015, 28 different private insurance companies that offer a Part D plan. Folks need to, during one certain enrollment period every year, have to enroll and navigate through those 28 plans to see the different formularies, the different drugs. That can change, month to month, and certain pharmacies that they have to use.

There is a premium to use Part D. So those additional costs to individuals right now persons who are on Seniorcare are seen as having credible coverage and are not required to enroll in a Part D plan, and then incur all of those monthly expenses. So, if they would be required to go into Part D, Part D would become their primary insurer and Seniorcare their secondary. So they would incur additional expense on themselves.

Frederica Freyberg:

What was your reaction when you saw this in the budget and the reaction of the people that you work with?

Devon Christianson:

Well, people certainly are concerned. I’d say. In 2011 it was proposed again for Seniorcare to have a similar pattern of being a wraparound program, and it had strong bipartisan support in 2011 and was voted down. The people who have developed this in Wisconsin really hold it true.

Frederica Freyberg:

So, what is the advice that you’re giving to people that you work with who may be on Seniorcare now, or want to be on it, you know, in the future, or about to sign up for Medicare?

Devon Christianson:

Well, certainly, right now we certainly hope Seniorcare will still be around and that individuals shouldn’t do anything except come and enroll into the Seniorcare program, if they’re eligible, or come and talk to the Aging and Disability Resource Center about those different options.

Folks who are on it currently, who are concerned, we would advise them to talk to their Legislator, and let them know how important this program has been to them. Their average costs a year could go up over $700 a year for premiums and deductibles. For lowincome seniors, that’s food on the table.

Frederica Freyberg:

Now, meanwhile, another part of the language concerning Seniorcare would be the elimination of these Boards, like the one for which you are Director, the Aging and Disability Resource Center. What is your reaction to that and what does that potentially mean in your mind for Counties across Wisconsin?

Devon Christianson:

Well, Aging and Disability Resource Centers, again, are one of those Wisconsindesigned programs that’s very innovative and, quite truly, nationally they have used the model of ADRCs across the nation.

ADRCs are a onestop shop where people who are facing choices around family care and senior care and prescription drug and longterm care, where to live, when their mom’s in a crisis, when they've got a new diagnosis of Alzheimer's, they come to an ADRC to find unbiased, neutral information that’s trusted and knowing that when they come to our organization, we are truly doing what’s advising people and helping them with their decision around those long-term care so they can stay at home as long as possible.

Our Boards, by design and in Statute, are meant to be comprised of people who we serve: people with physical disabilities, older adults and persons with intellectual disabilities and their caregivers. They advise us on all of the programs and services that we offer.

Conflict of interest is really important and is strong in those Statutes. Another piece of the Statute suggestions or suggestions to the budget is that all or part of an ADRC could be contracted out in different ways, opening the door to maybe non-profit or private, forprofit organizations to do the same kind of work. I think our concern is really about that neutrality and that conflict of interest. As you’ve seen, many programs, you might see commercials on television about programs that might be offering free advice about where your mom might want to go to live or your dad help for services. Many of those programs offer referrals to programs where they might get a are financially incentivized to make those referrals and might only refer to agencies where they get a reimbursement. The trust that we have as public entities is that we truly are neutral and we are there to really meet and work with that person where they’re at.

Frederica Freyberg:

All right. Devon Christianson, thank you very much.

Devon Christianson:

Thank you.