TALKING POINTS:
HEALTH CARE
The issue of health care has long been a controversial one in the United States, both at the Federal and state levels. While certain parts of Arizona still maintain a healthy living environment for people of all ages, the state’s overall health care performance is discouraging. The statistics speak for themselves:
- The rate of children without health coverage in Arizona is one of the highest in the nation.
- Arizona is one of seven states in the U.S. to provide the least adequate supervision of insurance companies.
- Arizona ranks dead last in funding for mental health, and
- Has the second-highest rate of asthma in the U.S.
- The cost to Arizona employers offering medical coverage increased 19% in 2002
- 7th highest in nursing home residents who suffer untreated pain.
So what’s the good news?
Governor Janet Napolitano has been doing her part to address Arizona’s health care problems inovatively. With programs and initiatives such as the Arizona CoppeRx Prescription Card, which allows Medicare-eligible Arizonans to receive medication discounts; and Arizona 2-1-1- Online, an Internet database of health and human service resources, Governor Napolitano has made information and economically sound solutions available to all residents of Arizona.
In addition, Napolitano has proven herself a proactive and no-nonsense leader when it comes to resolving urgent health crises. For example, she dipped into the state’s Health Care Crisis Fund to provide emergency funding to Cochise County residents who faced a grave water shortage. With Napolitano’s help, these residents maintained a supply of water and averted the immediate danger.
She showed her initiative once again when she gave the Arizona Department of Health Services $500,000 to fight an outbreak of pertussis, or whooping cough, in Phoenix. The money was used to purchase adolescent pertussis vaccines to prevent the disease from being contracted by Arizona’s youth population, as well as for lab equipment and education initiatives to arm the public with the knowledge they need.
Arizona 2-1-1 Information: (taken from www.azgovernor.gov )
Arizona 2-1-1 Online is the State of Arizona’s doorway to thousands of health, human service and emergency response resources. Developed in partnership with government, tribal, non-profit and community groups, Arizona 2-1-1 Online is committed to providing all Arizonans access to information and resources to improve the quality of their lives.
Arizona 2-1-1 Online is also your source for State and local emergency bulletins and alerts vital in times of disaster or emergency. From finding child care, jobs, health care, insurance to information about safety in our homes and offices, Arizona 2-1-1 Online is your one-stop source for locating the services and information you need when you need it.
Arizona CoppeRx Card Information: (taken from www.azgovernor.gov )
Arizona CoppeRXSM Card is the free and simple prescription drug discount card available to any Medicare-eligible Arizonan. This card was created to give Medicare-eligible residents a simple way to get substantial discounts on spiraling prescription drug prices. To date more than 50,000 cards have been distributed, generating more than $8.6 million in discounts. The CoppeRX Card is free. Anyone 65 or older or disabled is entitled to a free CoppeRX Card. It applies to all prescription drug purchases. Just present it to any one of 500 pharmacies throughout Arizona to receive a discount on your prescription purchase. Generally, CoppeRX Card discounts range from 15 to 55 percent.
This benefit does not expire in 2006. It will continue to offer discounts after the Medicare cards expire. Low-income seniors also have free access to the CoppeRX Plus Card. Qualified seniors can purchase any Lilly pharmaceutical product for just $12 per month per prescription.
Q. Does the CoppeRX Card have special features for
low-income seniors and Medicare disabled?
A.
Yes. If you are single and your income is under $18,000 or you are married and your income is under $24,000,
then you may enroll in the CoppeRX Plus Card. You can call the 1-888-227-8315 number to get
an enrollment form.
Q. Can I have both a CoppeRX Card and a Medicare discount card?
A. Yes, although you may not carry more than one federal Medicare card,
you may carry both the Arizona CoppeRX Card and the federal Medicare card of your choice. Depending
on the medications you take, you may benefit from carrying both cards to make sure you get the best discount on each
prescription medication you take.
