Michael Leavitt

Speaker Albio Sires Calls For Federal Government to Reimburse New Jersey For Failures in New Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
13th CD Candidate Points to Program Failures that Harm State’s Seniors

(West New York) Speaker Albio Sires, the Democratic candidate in the 13th Congressional District, today called on the federal government to continue reimbursing the state for prescription drug benefits and to immediately address the mismanagement that has left eligible seniors without coverage through the new Medicare prescription drug program. A letter by New Jersey’s Medicare administrator yesterday outlined the mismanagement of the new federal program that has cost the state millions in prescription drug coverage while leaving thousands of seniors without coverage.

GOVERNOR CORZINE ISSUED THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

CORZINE CALLS ON FEDS TO REIMBURSE DRUG BENEFIT ENROLLMENT COSTS INCURRED BY NEW JERSEYFeds Mistakes Costing State $1.3 million per day

TRENTON - Governor Jon S. Corzine today called upon the federal government to reimburse the state of New Jersey for millions of dollars in emergency assistance costs incurred in the transfer of New Jersey seniors to the Medicare prescription drug program. At this point the federal government’s mistakes have cost the state over $20 million.

CODEY TO FEDS: YOUR ACTIONS UP TO THIS POINT ARE UNACCEPTABLE

With Weeks Left Until Deadline, Hundreds of Thousands of Seniors
Have Not Been Enrolled in New Medicare Drug Program

(TRENTON)–Acting Governor Richard J. Codey today defended New Jersey’s senior citizens, calling upon the federal government to take immediate action to ensure that the hundreds of thousands of applicants to the new Medicare Part D prescription drug program receive their new enrollment cards by the January 1, 2006 deadline so that prescription drug coverage is not disrupted for those who need it most.