HARRISBURG, Pa., Nov. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- New Medicare coverage is available to help eligible breast cancer patients in Pennsylvania pay for their life-saving medications, according to Pat Halpin-Murphy, president and founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition. The new coverage, called the Medicare Replacement Drug Demonstration, is available immediately and will help thousands of patients fight breast cancer and other serious illnesses.
"This coverage is a tremendous victory for people living with breast cancer, because it helps to provide access to some of the newest, most effective life-saving drug therapies," said Halpin-Murphy. "Unfortunately, because many eligible patients do not yet know the new coverage exists, they are missing out on this enormous benefit."
Halpin-Murphy urged patients who may be eligible to act quickly, because the federal government is accepting applications on a first-come, first-served basis until the enrollment cap is reached.
People who apply should:
-- Have Medicare Part A and B;
-- Have Medicare as their "primary payer" (i.e., it pays for health
services first before other insurers);
-- Not have other comprehensive drug coverage; and
-- Live in the 50 states or Washington, DC
For more information or to receive assistance, patients should call 1-866-563-5386. Additional information, including the program application, is available online at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/researchers/demos/drugcoveragedemo.asp
In Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition played a crucial role in extending the state's Medicaid coverage to uninsured or underinsured women diagnosed with breast cancer. Women who are diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer now can receive free treatment and Medicaid coverage throughout the course of their treatment. For more information on HealthyWoman call 1-800-215-7494 or the PBCC at 1-800-377-8828 x302.
Media with additional questions on the Medicare program specifics can call Donald McLeod of the CMS press office at 202-690-7183 or dmcleod@cms.gov.
The Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending the breast cancer epidemic through research, education, outreach and advocacy. For more information on the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition, please contact Jennifer Fetich at 717-738-9567 x101 or jennifer@pabreastcancer.org.
Pennsylvania Breast Cancer CoalitionCONTACT: Jennifer Fetich, Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition,+1-717-738-9567 x101, jennifer@pabreastcancer.org
Web site: http://www.pabreastcancer.org/