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| Home > Healthy People > January 2004 |
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Winter 2004
SenioRx Program helps Missouri seniors with drug costs
 Missouri seniors will gain valuable
information about affordable prescription drugs in January and February
through St. John’s and the Missouri SenioRx Program, which helps seniors
on limited incomes pay for their prescription drugs. The program can save
eligible seniors up to $5,000 per year and its next enrollment period is
Jan. 1-Feb. 28. As many as 150,000 Missourians are eligible for the
program, yet only a fraction of those are actually enrolled.
St. John’s Seniors has helped about 100 seniors enroll in the Missouri
SenioRx Program, which pays 60 percent of covered prescription drugs for
eligible seniors after they pay a $25-$35 enrollment fee and meet an
annual deductible, says St. John’s Seniors Program Coordinator Valerie
Griffin.
The Missouri SenioRx Program will be the topic of the Focus on Finance
program at 11:30 a.m., Jan. 26 at St. John’s Hammons Heart Institute.
“We’re going directly to the seniors themselves with lots of help from
grassroots partners like St. John’s who know their communities,” says
Laurie Hines, executive director of the Missouri SenioRx Program.
IMPROVED APPLICATION & DRUG COMPANY
PARTICIPATION
Missouri SenioRx has improved its application, making it simpler and
easier to read. More than 140 generic and brand-drug companies now
participate in the program, which is a substantial increase from last
year. Seniors may call 1-866-556-9316 toll-free 24 hours a day or visit
www.missouriseniorx.com to find out which drugs are covered. More than
1,000 Missouri pharmacies– 89 percent of all pharmacies in Missouri –
participate in the program.
“We hope the changes increase the number of enrollees,” Hines says.
The program now has around 19,000 members. To qualify, an individual 65 or
older can have an annual income of up to $17,000, and a married couple up
to $25,000 before a $2,000 marital deduction. Individuals cannot receive
veterans’ pharmacy benefits or be enrolled in Medicaid, nor can they have
prescription-drug insurance that is equal to or greater than the Missouri
SenioRx Program.
Individuals who turn 65 outside of the two-month enrollment period can
apply 30 days before or after their birthday. Benefits for the 2004 plan
year begin July 1, 2004, and end June 30, 2005. Enrollees must bring
documentation of Missouri residency and age.
Missouri SenioRx Checklist
I am at least 65 years of age;
I have been a resident of the state of Missouri for the past 12 months
I do not receive Veterans Administration pharmacy benefits or Medicaid, or
have prescription insurance that is equivalent to or greater than the
Missouri SenioRx Program
I meet the income requirements
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