Senate Democrats are busily drafting a bill that would prevent changes proposed in the governor’s budget to SeniorCare’s eligibility and enrollment requirements that would force the elderly to pay more for prescription drugs.

Five Democratic senators are drafting the bill, which they said would prevent Gov. Scott Walker from “raiding” SeniorCare for millions of dollars and “punishing” seniors.

“This bill will stop the raid on SeniorCare funds,” said Sen. Robert Wirch, D-Pleasant Prairie, in a statement. “The bill will require that all funds in the SeniorCare program be used only for SeniorCare purposes, such as increasing the type of drugs available in the program or reducing enrollment fees.”

The bill would also require the state to continue applying to the federal government for funding. The federal government provides 15.5 percent of the program’s budget.

SeniorCare is a program for Wisconsin residents above the age of 65 that helps cover prescription drug costs. Those not eligible for other forms of medical assistance can enroll for an annual fee of $30 dollars, and coverage is determined by income.

Currently, the more than 91,000 people using SeniorCare pay annual deductibles ranging from $500 to $850 and co-pays of $5 or $15 per prescription. Under Medicare Part D, those costs could rise.

Under Walker’s budget proposal, all patients eligible for SeniorCare would be required to apply for, and if eligible, enroll in Medicare Part D by Jan. 1. That health benefits plan would become the primary form of coverage for seniors.

The fight to save SeniorCare has bipartisan support.

“The SeniorCare provision has been identified by the Republican caucus as something that needs to be changed,” said Andrew Welhouse, spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau.

Since the budget proposal hasn’t been introduced on the floor yet, changes can still be made with amendments, Welhouse said. After the governor introduces his proposal, the Legislature takes it up and makes changes – and that process has not yet started.

Any changes to SeniorCare would also require federal approval. On Wednesday, Sen. Herb Kohl sent a letter to Walker urging him not to move forward with the proposed alterations to SeniorCare, promising to oppose any changes to the popular and cost-effective program.

SeniorCare’s success comes from the ability of the state of Wisconsin to negotiate volume discounts and rebates form pharmaceutical companies, unlike the federal government, said Sen. Julie Lassa, D-Stevens Point, in a statement. This forces pharmaceutical companies to compete to provide the lowest prescription drug costs to seniors.

Wisconsin is the only state with a program like SeniorCare that forces pharmaceutical companies to bargain for lowest possible drug costs, said Nino Amato, president of the Coalition of Wisconsin Aging Groups. That would change if the provisions in the budget were passed, he said.

Although forcing seniors to enroll in Medicare Part D rather than SeniorCare would free up $20 million for the state to use to plug deficit holes elsewhere in the budget, Medicare Part D is not a viable substitute, Amato said.

The fact that costs would rise under Medicare Part D makes the proposed change essentially a tax on the elderly and their families, said Amato.