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April 4, 2006
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Vance Introduces Legislation to Integrate PACE/PACENET Program and Medicare Part D

HARRISBURG – Legislation that would update Pennsylvania's prescription drug assistance program to work with the federal Medicare prescription drug program was introduced today by Sen. Pat Vance (R-Cumberland/York). 

Senate Bill 1188 (summary PDF) would restructure PACE and PACENET so that they work seamlessly with the federal Medicare prescription drug program. 

"For more than 20 years Pennsylvania has been a leader in ensuring low-income seniors have prescription drug coverage," Vance said. "This legislation ensures the same important benefits PACE/PACENET recipients have come to know will continue for years to come in conjunction with the new federal plan. The two benefits will fit together like a hand in a glove." 

Vance's legislation will: 

• authorize the Commonwealth to assist PACE/PACENET recipients in signing up for the most appropriate Medicare prescription drug plan;
• assist PACE/PACENET recipients in identifying if they are eligible for the Medicare low income subsidy;
• pay Part D premiums for PACE enrollees;
• eliminate the PACENET deductible;
• provide coverage for Part D copayments in excess of the current PACE/PACENET amount;
• create real-time online coordination of benefits between PACE and appropriate Medicare plans so enrollees in PACE/PACENET and Medicare continue to fill their prescriptions at pharmacies without additional cost, delay or paperwork.
• shift to the federal program some costs that have typically been incurred by the state program.

"It's important that officials with the federal government and Pennsylvania prescription drug programs work together to blend the two programs to prevent confusion for the Commonwealth's seniors," Vance said. "They should not have to choose between prescription drugs and food and shelter." 

The chair of the Aging and Youth Committee, Sen. Jane C. Orie (R-McCandless), said that she will begin work immediately to prepare the bill for consideration by the Committee. 

"Pennsylvania has led the nation for years in its provision of prescription drug benefits for seniors," Orie said. "This legislation promises to continue that tradition as it is designed to coordinate benefits between the federal and state programs to allow seniors to enjoy receiving benefits as effortlessly as they have since PACE's inception." 

"Since many senior citizens have questions about the benefits that they are eligible to receive, I made this an important part of my recent senior citizen expos," said Sen. Pat Browne (R-Lehigh), a strong supporter of Vance's legislation. "I believe this legislation will not only benefit the Commonwealth by meshing these two important prescription drug programs, but will also reduce the level of confusion that is out there and thereby provide peace of mind to our older residents." 

Vance has been a leader in the General Assembly to expand and maintain prescription drug benefits for Pennsylvania's low-income seniors. In 2003 legislation she authored in the House expanded coverage to allow an additional 100,000 Pennsylvanians to be eligible for prescription drug coverage. In 2001, she led a successful effort to use a portion of the state's national tobacco settlement money to increase the income eligibility limits for the PACENET program by $1,000, extending program eligibility to thousands more seniors. Finally, back in 1995, she was a member of a group of House Republicans who guided the effort to increase income eligibility limits for the PACE program and create the PACENET program to provide access to benefits for middle-income seniors. 

Vance's district includes all of Cumberland County and Carroll, Fairview, Franklin, Monaghan, Warrington and Washington townships and Dillsburg, Franklintown and Wellsville boroughs in York County.

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