Dueling Drug Plans Vie For Supremacy In Missouri House

When members of the Missouri House return from their spring break they’ll consider two plans to help senior citizens better afford prescription drugs. Democrats propose scrapping the current $200 income tax credit to implement a catastrophic plan similar to one proposed by Governor Holden. 65-year-olds with incomes less than $25,000 and not covered by Medicaid or a pharmacy plan would be eligible. Republicans would keep the tax credit. Senior citizens earning up to three times the federal poverty rate would qualify. The G.O.P proposal would see the state apply for a Medicaid waiver, allowing participants to buy drugs as the Medicaid rate as well as qualify for pharmaceutical discounts.