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Find Legal Help On Prescription Drug Benefits and Free Clinics
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Medicaid Patients and Prescription Drugs
by: Georgia Legal Services ProgramĀ®

Medicaid Patients and Prescription Drugs

Linda Lowe
Georgia Legal Services Program
Last Revised: May 2005

The state Department of Community Health is now charging higher fees (copayments) for some Medicaid prescription drugs. 

On July 1, 2003 the minimum fee increased to 75 cents.

Fees range from 75 cents to $3.00.  Drugs that are generic, or that are on the state's  "preferred" list, or that cost the state less than $10 will have a 75-cent charge .  Drugs that are not on the "preferred" list will have a charge of $1.00 to $3.00 depending on how much the drug costs. 

NOTE: You may want to find out from your doctor if a drug that is on the list will work just as well for you as a more expensive drug you may be taking now. If you can use a drug that is on the list, your fee will be only 75 cents.

Some Medicaid patients cannot be charged a fee. 

  • Drug stores cannot charge you a fee if you are under age 21, pregnant, in a nursing home or in hospice. 
  • They cannot charge any Medicaid patient a fee for emergency services or for family planning services. 

If you are not in one of these situations, the drug store can charge you a fee. However, you do not have to leave without your medicine!
 .
The pharmacist has to let you have your medicine even if you cannot pay.  The pharmacist must take your word that you cannot pay.  Federal government Medicaid rules protect you.  (42 C.F.R. §447.15) The drug store can bill you, but it cannot refuse to give you your medicines.
 .
If you have problems getting your medicines, ask for help:

  • The Department of Community Health: 1-800-282-4536
  • Your local office of Georgia Legal Services: 1-800-498-9469
  • Atlanta Legal Aid: 404-524-5811 (Fulton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Clayton, and Cobb counties)
  • The Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies PowerLine: 1-800-822-2539
  • If you are age 60 or over, The Senior Legal Hotline: 404-657-9915 or 1-888-257-9519

Linda Lowe
Georgia Legal Services Program
Last Revised: May 2005

 

Last Reviewed On: 05/16/05
 
 

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LegalAid-GA.org provides general information only. This is not legal advice and cannot replace legal advice. You can get legal advice only from a lawyer.  Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Viewing this web site or sending an e-mail message through this web site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship.
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Copyright and Use Notice

This material is copyrighted by the authoring organization or individual. Legal information can change rapidly. Provided links are kept updated, permission is given to link to this material from a nonprofit, court or government website. Website material may be printed, copied and distributed only in its original format for non-commercial, informational purposes. The material may not be altered from its original format. Reproducing the material to promote a commercial purpose is expressly prohibited. Commercial enterprises are expressly forbidden from linking to our material or using our material in other ways. Legal Aid and GLSP are not liable for the distribution of out-of-date material or links. To inquire about appropriate use of this material, please contact 404-524-5811.

 

Information Not Legal Advice

LegalAid-GA.org provides general information only. This is not legal advice and cannot replace legal advice. You can get legal advice only from a lawyer.  Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Viewing this web site or sending an e-mail message through this web site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship.

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