- Title
- Nursing Homes and Medicare Part D
- Memo #
- 06-16
- Posting Date
- 05/11/2006
- Fiscal Year
- 2006
- Summary
- This memorandum clarifies residents' rights regarding choice of a prescription drug plan and pharmacy provider, the nursing homes' responsibility to provide drugs to residents, and State Survey Agencies' responsibilities with respect to the new Medicare prescription drug benefit and nursing homes: Residents have the right to make informed decision/choices about their care as described in sections 1802, 1851 and 1860 of the Social Security Act and 42 C.F.R. Part 483; Residents are guaranteed the right to choose a Part D plan, but do not have unbridled freedom to choose a pharmacy; and we expect nursing homes to work with their current pharmacies to assure that they recognize the Part D plans chosen by that facility's Medicare beneficiaries, or, in the alternative, to add additional pharmacies to achieve that objective. Or, at its option, the facility could contract exclusively with another pharmacy that contracts more broadly with Part D plans.
