Assemblyman Thomas P. DiNapoli (D-Great Neck) announced that the state legislature, in a rare unanimous vote, overrode the governor's veto of emergency legislation to pay Medicare Part D claims. The legislation was drafted to respond to the crisis created by the newly implemented federal Medicare prescription drug program (Part D) which allowed some elderly New Yorkers to fall through the cracks.

Since Jan. 1, thousands of Medicaid recipients were wrongfully denied access to lifesaving prescriptions drugs," said DiNapoli. "Had the legislature not acted to override the veto there was a real possibility that 600,000 low-income elderly and disabled New Yorkers would be wrongfully denied access to lifesaving prescription drugs."

Under the legislation (A9462) New York State would simply step in and pay drug claims for disabled and low-income elderly until problems with the federal program are fixed. Once the problems are corrected, the state will bill the federal government and the various drug plans for costs incurred.

"We must provide prescription medicine and health care to those who need it the most," DiNapoli said. "This is a stop-gap answer, which takes effect immediately, to ensure continuation of coverage until a permanent solution is achieved."