State Medicaid won’t completely eliminate Viagra payments in spite of federal legislation

Friday, Oct. 21, 2005 | 7:42 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- More than 200 people enrolled in Nevada's Medicaid program will lose the subsidy they receive for the purchase of Viagra and similar drugs.

Legislation signed this week by President Bush prohibits the federal government from paying for male sexual enhancement drugs.

Chuck Duarte, chief of the Medicaid program in Nevada, said Thursday the state paid out $106,000 for sexual performance medication in a 12-month period. The average prescription cost for the 239 recipients is $76 each.

Duarte said the program has been in existence at least since 1998 to pick up the cost of the drugs by Medicaid, the federal-state program that helps the poor and disabled to get medical care.

The bill will allow the states to continue to pay the costs of the Viagra-type medication, but the federal government will not chip in its share.

The loss of benefits for the drugs becomes effective Jan. 1. The federal government hopes to save $690 million over five years by discontinuing payments.

Duarte said the state would continue to pay for the drugs in cases of individuals who have severe pulmonary hypertension. He cited two cases of children who have life-threatening conditions that are helped by the sexual performance drugs.

"We will continue this program," he said.

The federal bill signed by Bush also reinstates federal payments to 1,700 low-income and disabled Nevadans enrolled in Medicare.

Congress had not reached agreement by Oct. 1, the start of the federal fiscal year, whether to pay the Medicare premiums for low-income people who are older than 64 or who are disabled, leaving them without medical insurance.

The state Department of Human Resources and Health Care will advance $134,000 in state money to allow continued medical treatment for this segment of the population.

Department Director Mike Willden said Thursday the federal bill calls for the government to repay the state for making the advance payment.

Under the program the federal government pays the monthly premium of $78 for those enrolled in Medicare with incomes of $1,097 to $1,464 a month. Nationwide, an estimated 192,000 people would have lost this benefit.

This program was extended for two years.

Cy Ryan can be reached at cy@lasvegassun.com or at (775) 687-5032.