Advocacy groups say seniors can’t afford proposed prescription-benefit cuts
AARP, the Empire Justice Center, Selfhelp Community Services and Statewide Senior Action are urging the Legislature to reject Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal to cut the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage—EPIC—program, which has been in place for 25 years. The governor’s budget eliminates all financial assistance to EPIC enrollees and reduces prescription coverage to include only those that are not covered by Medicare. More than 290,000 senior citizens, the groups said.
“This budget proposal would negatively impact hundreds of thousands of elderly New Yorkers who rely on these programs to help pay for the medications they need,” Lois Wagh Aronstein, AARP New York director, said in a statement. “People who do not take their prescription medications will often require more costly medical services such as hospitalizations. This shifts an unfair cost and burden onto seniors and taxpayers alike.”
The governor’s plan is now in the hands of the Legislature, which is supposed to adopt a budget by April 1, the start of the 2011-12 fiscal year.
More than 200,000 seniors—some two-thirds of all EPIC participants—would lose EPIC coverage under Cuomo’s plan, according to Cathy Roberts, senior paralegal with the Empire Justice Center. They potentially would have to pay hundreds or thousands of dollars on medication each year, she said. The average EPIC enrollee is 78 and takes four prescriptions.
“We are especially worried about seniors on fixed incomes with chronic health conditions who simply have no money left in their monthly budget to cover higher drug co-pays or monthly premiums,” she said.
The change would affect lower-income senior citizens whose income is too high for them to qualify for the federal Part D subsidy called “Extra Help,” said Valerie Bogart, director of the Evelyn Frank Legal Resources Program at Selfhelp Community Services Inc. Their incomes are not high enough to afford the full cost of Part D, she said.
“Coinsurance for brand name drugs under a typical plan may charge, for example, a range from $40 – $77 per drug, on top of a monthly premium of $92.70 per month. This is simply unaffordable at lower income levels,” she said.
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Genocide for seniors ,New York State answer to the budget.Vote those out of office who end Epic.
I am so disappointed ! The son of the governor who understood how important it was to prevent expensive complications in seniors of limited means. Now to severely limit their ability to afford these drugs which are increasingly more expensive is disgraceful. Shame on you Gov. Cuomo
What is going on in Today’s world that we are turning our backs on Seniors who qualify for Medicare. I BELIEVE BEFORE CUTTING BENEFITS FOR THE ELDERLY, GO AFTER INSURANCE FRAUD ON THE MEDICAID AND PUBLIC HOUSING SYSTEM.
Those on Medicaid should be given the same benefits as Seniors on Medicare or those working class people with limited benefits. Why should they have Medical Benefits that others who have worked for a living or are working for a living don’t have. I have both Parents, in their 70’s, alive. They both have hearing lose and dental issues, but the Medical Care or the DME required to care for these problems are not a covered benefit under Medicare, but is covered for those Under Medicaid. WHY? There is something wrong and it needs to be fixed. WHy are they cutting benefits for the elderly.
Start a Task Force to go after the Medicaid Fraud, and I am not talking about the Doctors, but against the people abusing the system. Start with Claims. Any Claims outside of the State should be investigated. How were they able to travel if they don’t have the funds to pay for health benefits. Investigate those who only come once a year to get a check up or when they are very ill. Where were they the rest of the year?
I could go on and on and on and. Andrew Cuomo I know we are having financial problems, but don’t take away benefits for the Elderly. IT will have a major impact on the Members on Medicare as well as the family members who are and will have to help out financially.
DO NOT CUT BENEFITS TO THE ELDERLY OR THE EPIC PROGRAM. PLEASE LEAVE EPIC AS IS. I PRAY YOU HAVE A VISION OR A DREAM THAT CLEARS YOUR MIND OF WHAT YOUR CUTS TO THE ELDERLY WILL HAVE AND INSTEAD OF TAKING AWAY YOU INCREASE. LETS TAKE CARE OF OUR ELDERLY AND OUR POOR, BUT NOT THOSE WHO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF OUR SYSTEM.