Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair/Cumberland/Franklin/Fulton/Huntingdon, speaks on behalf of Senate Bill 668.
Seniors may get break on prescriptions | News, Sports, Jobs Pennsylvania’s senior citizens may get a break on prescription drug costs through the PACENET program.
The state Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 668 recently, which expands the income eligibility of the PACENET program by $6,000 for both individuals and married couples. It also eliminate what is known as the PACENET premium “clawback.” Currently, PACENET cardholders pay a copay for each claim along with either a monthly benchmark premium or a monthly Part D plan premium. The clawback is made possible by allowing the PACE program to enroll a cardholder enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan that meets their prescription needs — allowing the Department of Aging to absorb the cost of removing the PACENET premium clawback.
The PACE program pays for the upfront premium costs but recoups these costs at the point of sale during each subsequent claim. The practice is known as the PACENET premium clawback and can cause confusion for the cardholder, the pharmacy and other entities such as the PACE call center or legislative district offices as cardholders with infrequent claims may experience large cost “spikes” at the point of sale. PACENET was established in 1996 to provide additional prescription drug benefits to Pennsylvanians age 65 and older. Eligibility for the program is based on income.
“Given that pharmaceutical drug costs increased annually and with many older Pennsylvanians relying solely on Social Security or fixed income, as drug prices continue to grow they very quickly become unaffordable,” said Sen. Judy Ward, R-Blair/Cumberland/Franklin/Fulton/Huntingdon, on the Senate floor. “This measure is a priority for the Aging Department and is supported by the Pennsylvania Council on Aging and AARP Pennsylvania.” Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox
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