(HARRISBURG) – The state Senate adopted a plan today that will allow thousands of older Pennsylvanians to retain eligibility for prescription drug assistance, Senator Cris Dush (R-25), who supported the measure, announced.
PACE and PACENET are the state’s prescription drug assistance programs that provide life-sustaining medications to 257,000 seniors. Eligibility for the programs are based on income. The Social Security cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2021 is estimated to result in almost 5,100 PACE and PACENET cardholders exceeding the income eligibility limits, meaning those seniors will lose their benefits.
Senate Bill 323 extends the current moratorium on increases in income due to a Social Security COLA for PACE and PACENET enrollees for two additional years until Dec. 31, 2023, benefitting 17,800 seniors.
The bill will now go to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Zack Ankeny