PACE/PACENET Eligibility Expansion
April 12, 2021 10:09 AM to All House Members
Circulated By
Representative Wendi Thomas
R House District 178
Along With
Rep. Steve Samuelson
D House District 135
Memo
Pennsylvania’s premier prescription drug assistance programs for seniors, PACE and PACENET, provide life-sustaining medications to approximately 300,000 older Pennsylvanians. The General Assembly has long debated increase in the income limits to the PACE/PACENET program, with the last increase extended within PACENET in 2018.
Year after year, the General Assembly has passed legislation that permits those already enrolled in the program to continue their enrollment even with a COLA increase, benefiting thousands of seniors who would have otherwise lost their benefit.
This continued moratorium extension has created inconsistent income eligibility guidelines for those enrolled in PACE and PACENET. For example, a single PACENET cardholder who joined the program in 2010 would have a maximum income limit of more than $29,000 this year with COLA adjustments, while a new enrollee could have a maximum income requirement of $23,000.
We plan to introduce legislation that will modernize the maximum income limits to allow more older adults to benefit from this prescription drug assistance program. While we applaud the efforts and agree that the program should continue to include those who have received a COLA increase but are otherwise eligible, it is prudent that we examine the eligibility requirements for the program to ensure that it is serving as many older adults as possible.
Year after year, the General Assembly has passed legislation that permits those already enrolled in the program to continue their enrollment even with a COLA increase, benefiting thousands of seniors who would have otherwise lost their benefit.
This continued moratorium extension has created inconsistent income eligibility guidelines for those enrolled in PACE and PACENET. For example, a single PACENET cardholder who joined the program in 2010 would have a maximum income limit of more than $29,000 this year with COLA adjustments, while a new enrollee could have a maximum income requirement of $23,000.
We plan to introduce legislation that will modernize the maximum income limits to allow more older adults to benefit from this prescription drug assistance program. While we applaud the efforts and agree that the program should continue to include those who have received a COLA increase but are otherwise eligible, it is prudent that we examine the eligibility requirements for the program to ensure that it is serving as many older adults as possible.
Legislation
Document - Introduced as HB 1260
Last updated on April 21, 2021 09:08 AM
PACE/PACENET Eligibility Expansion
April 12, 2021 10:09 AM to All House Members
Circulated By
THOMAS and SAMUELSON
Memo
Pennsylvania’s premier prescription drug assistance programs for seniors, PACE and PACENET, provide life-sustaining medications to approximately 300,000 older Pennsylvanians. The General Assembly has long debated increase in the income limits to the PACE/PACENET program, with the last increase extended within PACENET in 2018.
Year after year, the General Assembly has passed legislation that permits those already enrolled in the program to continue their enrollment even with a COLA increase, benefiting thousands of seniors who would have otherwise lost their benefit.
This continued moratorium extension has created inconsistent income eligibility guidelines for those enrolled in PACE and PACENET. For example, a single PACENET cardholder who joined the program in 2010 would have a maximum income limit of more than $29,000 this year with COLA adjustments, while a new enrollee could have a maximum income requirement of $23,000.
We plan to introduce legislation that will modernize the maximum income limits to allow more older adults to benefit from this prescription drug assistance program. While we applaud the efforts and agree that the program should continue to include those who have received a COLA increase but are otherwise eligible, it is prudent that we examine the eligibility requirements for the program to ensure that it is serving as many older adults as possible.
Year after year, the General Assembly has passed legislation that permits those already enrolled in the program to continue their enrollment even with a COLA increase, benefiting thousands of seniors who would have otherwise lost their benefit.
This continued moratorium extension has created inconsistent income eligibility guidelines for those enrolled in PACE and PACENET. For example, a single PACENET cardholder who joined the program in 2010 would have a maximum income limit of more than $29,000 this year with COLA adjustments, while a new enrollee could have a maximum income requirement of $23,000.
We plan to introduce legislation that will modernize the maximum income limits to allow more older adults to benefit from this prescription drug assistance program. While we applaud the efforts and agree that the program should continue to include those who have received a COLA increase but are otherwise eligible, it is prudent that we examine the eligibility requirements for the program to ensure that it is serving as many older adults as possible.
Document
Introduced as HB 1260
Last Updated
April 21, 2021 09:08 AM
Generated 05/18/2025 11:12 PM