What is AB 623, and Why Do We Need It?

One of the most unfair and dangerous flaws in the ill-conceived Medicare Part D Drug Program is that the poorest and most vulnerable seniors and disabled people on both Medicare and Medi-Cal now have to pay co-payments on every drug they buy every month. Before Medicare Part D, no one on Medi-Cal had to pay drug co-payments.

Both research and common sense show that charging already poor and medically vulnerable patients even small amounts makes their medicines often unaffordable, causing anxiety, sickness, and even death. This is particularly true for seniors, who are often taking multiple drugs.

AB 623 would require that the State Medi-Cal program cover the drug co-payments that very-low income seniors and disabled people on both Medicare and Medi-Cal must pay as a result of Medicare Part D.

Read letters about SB 623

Read letter CARA has written about SB 623 here.

More information about SB 623

See the CARA Legislative Committee tracking report on Calif bills.

Read LegInfo, the official legislative website, on SB 623.

(Leginfo, the Official California Legislative Information website, describes Senate and Assembly bills, with texts, current status, analyses comparing the current situation with changes a bill would make, anticipated fiscal impacts, supporting and opposing arguments and organizations, and other valuable information.)

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