AARP has high hopes for Gov. Walker’s proposal to make Seniorcare permanent

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker found a friend in a group that represents a huge voting base. At least for now.

Walker said he’ll push to make the low cost state prescription program, Seniorcare, permanent.

Walker will need the feds to agree to a waiver, which is not a given, warns Jim Flaherty with Wisconsin’s AARP.

Wisconsin’s Seniorcare forces pharmaceutical companies to negotiate prices with the state, which is not allowed under federal Medicare part D plan. A ban drug lobbyists have pushed hard to maintain.

“There are lobbyist who would rather see Wisconsin also forced into Medicare Part D and get rid of Seniorcare, so that drug companies can make more money,” Flaherty said.

The push to make Seniorcare permanent has been a long time coming, believers Flaherty. He’s excited about the news but wondered what took so long.

“This is a no brainer,” Flaherty said. “We should have it in place permanently, forever.”

Flaherty said it’s pretty clear why the feds have, so far, not permitted the state to make its one-of-a-kind Seniorcare permanent, while every other state is stuck with the federal Medicare Part D drug plan.

“Seniorcare is a really, really good program and Wisconsin is a leader in offering it,” Flaherty said. “We’re very excited that the governor is serious about wanting to extend (it).”

Walker’s plans to make Seniorcare part of his so-called Health Care Stability Plan highlighted in his State of the State address Wednesday.