This program provides California Medicare beneficiaries with access to prescription drugs at the current Medi-Cal rate plus a 15% processing fee.

HISTORY

This is a California State Senate Bill, signed into law on October 10, 1999, and implemented February 1, 2000.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for SB 393, an individual must have a current Medicare card. This includes:

• individuals over age 65 are eligible for Medicare due to age;
• individuals under age 65 who are eligible for Medicare due to a medical determination of disability by the Social Security Administration (SSA); or
• individuals with permanent kidney failure, known as End-Stage Renal Diseases (ESRD).

USING SB 393

To use SB 393 for lower prescription drug prices follow these steps:

• Take the prescription to a pharmacy that accepts Medi-Cal;
• Ask to receive the Medi-Cal rate;
• Give your prescription and Medicare card to the pharmacist or pharmacy staff;
• Pay for the prescription at the Medi-Cal rate plus a 15% processing fee; and
• Ask the pharmacy to record that you have Medicare so that you will be charged the Medi-Cal rate in the future.

To find out what the current Medi-Cal rate is for prescription drugs, go to the California Department of Health Care Services’ Price Calculator.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

The residency requirements for SB 393 are the same for Medicare. A beneficiary must be a legal United States resident.

APPLICATION

There is no application needed to participate in SB 393. All an individual needs is a current Medicare card.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For additional information on SB 393, the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) website posts a copy of this law along with frequently asked questions.