By Alabama Public Radio
Montgomery, AL – State Medicaid Commissioner Carol Herrmann-Steckel announced the advance payment Wednesday because of problems with filling prescriptions for low-income elderly and disabled Alabamians who qualified for both Medicaid and Medicare. Bill Eley, executive director of the Alabama Pharmacy Association, says some pharmacies had been filling prescriptions for customers without any compensation since the new Medicare program began January first. He says the advance payment will help pharmacies while kinks are being worked out of the drug program. The state plans to recoup the money from the pharmacies later in the year.