The National Center for Assisted Living is calling on Congress to waive Medicare Part D co-payments for dual-eligible seniors in home- and community based care settings.

Dual eligibles in assisted living and other settings deserve the same prescription drug benefits as beneficiaries in nursing homes, NCAL Executive Director David Kyllo said in a letter to Wednesday’s Senate Special Aging Committee hearing and the House Ways and Means’ Subcommittee on Health. Currently, nursing home dual eligibles are exempt from cost sharing for Part D drugs.

The statement urged Congress to reintroduce bipartisan “The Home and Community Services Co-payment Equity Act of 2006 (S. 2409. H.R. 590). The bills would offer Part D relief for dual Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in home- and community-based settings.