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Date Created:
June 25, 2008
June 25, 2008
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Massachusetts
From the Cape to the Berkshires, this is a group for all AARP members in the Bay State.
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Budget Cuts Impact MA Seniors
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Budget Cuts Impact MA Seniors
http://www.aarp.org/community/groups/displayTopic.bt?groupId=8832&topicId=5281082
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AARPMA said:
on November 3, 2009 02:05 PM ET
edited on November 3, 2009 02:25 PM ET
Late last week, Gov. Patrick made an additional $5.6 million in cuts to Prescription Advantage, the state’s pharmacy assistance program. AARP immediately urged the governor to reconsider his decision because vulnerable seniors are already at risk of not being able to afford their medications.
Prescription Advantage was hit hard by the first round of emergency budget reductions a year ago and again in Fiscal Year 2010. The impact: Nearly 45,000 seniors lost coverage, primarily assistance with co-payments for medication.
Julie Pettit, 75, of Falmouth depended on Prescription Advantage to help pay for the medicine that keeps her healthy and out of more expensive care. After initial cuts to the program in early 2009, Pettit’s co-payment for one of her 13 medications soared to $122.
Deborah Banda, state director of AARP Massachusetts, criticized further reductions to Prescription Advantage. As quoted in the Boston Globe , she said, “We question both the wisdom and the compassion of the $5.6 million cut to Prescription Advantage,” explaining that the program is “... a lifeline for thousands of seniors who are struggling to afford their medications.”
Click here for the AARP Massachusetts statement in response to the emergency 9C budget cuts. To read more about Massachusetts residents impacted by these cuts click here .
Do you depend on the state’s Prescription Advantage program? Have you been affected by state budget cuts?
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