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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Chris King |
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Legislation to continue Rx coverage for Pa. seniors to become law
HARRISBURG, July 4 – In March, state Rep. Chris King, D-Bucks, introduced legislation (H.B. 2345) to ensure that senior citizens enrolled in Pennsylvania's PACE and PACENET programs do not lose their prescription drug coverage because of this year’s Social Security cost-of-living adjustment.
That legislation passed the House unanimously in May.
King said today that the House has passed Senate legislation (S.B. 4) that includes the language from his H.B. 2345, and the governor is expected to sign that bill into law.
"Thousands of Pennsylvania seniors can continue to receive the prescription coverage they rely on through PACE and PACENET," King said.
As of Jan. 1, senior citizens began receiving a 2.3 percent COLA in their Social Security benefits. King said without his legislation, the relatively small increase would bump some seniors just above the income limits for PACE and PACENET, jeopardizing their access to vital prescription coverage.
The legislation, first authored by King, will guarantee that seniors currently enrolled in PACE and PACENET would remain eligible, regardless of whether the Social Security COLA pushes their income above eligibility limits for the programs. The bill will help 15,000 Pennsylvania seniors keep their prescription coverage.
The measure now heads to the governor to be signed into law.
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