The continuation of SeniorCare is a top priority for advocates of the elderly.
Approximately 100,000 older folks in the Badger State with low-incomes rely on the state prescription drug program. Tom Frazier with the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups is confident Governor Jim Doyle will push to save the popular program, whose current federal waiver is set to expire at the end of the year.
"You know we feel pretty good that the governor will put that in his budget to continue it you know for the next two years of the budget."
Wisconsin's congressional delegation agrees that extending the waiver for SeniorCare is not only the right thing to do, but they wrote a letter to President-elect Barack Obama saying the program saves money for the state of Wisconsin, our senior citizens, and American taxpayers. Frazier believes the incoming president will support SeniorCare.
"We're feeling pretty good, too, that the president-elect, Obama, has indicated that he will extend the federal waiver for the program, which expires at the end of 2009. But he did indicate in the campaign that he would do that."
The application for SeniorCare is a simple, one-page form and, Frazier says, there is no asset test; just a declaration of income. The average annual federal subsidy for a SeniorCare participant is less than 600 bucks, nearly 1/3 rd the amount ($1,690) the federal government spends to subsidize a participant on Medicare Part D. As a result, the program saves taxpayers $31-million.
AUDIO: Jackie Johnson report (1:38 MP3)
