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Earlier this month, Governor Rendell announced plans to raise the income limit for the Lottery-funded PACENET prescription drug benefit for older Pennsylvanians, providing help to an additional 30,000 people who have little or no drug coverage now.  

The Governor’s proposal would boost the PACENET income limits from $23,500 to $30,000 for an individual and from $31,500 to $40,000 for a couple.

Rendell would pay for the expansion by requiring pharmaceutical companies to give the state the same drug rebates it gives to the federal government's Medicaid program. The state would also begin compensating pharmacies for medications based on the price they actually paid for them, rather than the manufacturer's suggested retail price. Those changes would help generate roughly $60 million in savings, enough to cover the new enrollees.

 

AARP Pennsylvania praised the idea. Advocacy Manager Ray Landis said it targets a group of seniors who are finding that their incomes aren't the same as just a year or two ago. Their retirement investments have gone sour and many have taken part-time work to pay for their medications or to afford the more expensive Medicare Part D program, he added. "The money they have put away is not there anymore," Landis said. "This will allow more people to take advantage of the best drug assistance program in the United States."

 

Rendell hopes to have the PACENET expansion approved before the legislature breaks for the summer. For information about PACE and PACENET, visit the Department of Aging at www.aging.state.pa.us or call, toll-free, 1-800-225-7223.