Legislation aimed at safeguarding access to prescription medications for Pennsylvania seniors has successfully passed the Senate. The bill, sponsored by Senator Frank Farry (R-6), focuses on extending a crucial financial consideration for eligibility in state-run programs.
Senate Bill 731 proposes to continue excluding Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) from income calculations for the PACE and PACENET programs. This exclusion, which is currently set to expire at the end of 2025, would be extended until December 31, 2027 under the new legislation.
“PACE and PACENET provide a vital lifeline to more than a quarter million older Pennsylvanians,” stated Farry. “Without this legislation, more than 10,000 seniors could lose eligibility simply because of a modest Social Security increase – something never intended to push them off these programs.”
Farry has been a longstanding advocate for enhancing senior prescription assistance. In 2018, he was instrumental in increasing the income eligibility limits for these programs for the first time since their inception, which enabled an additional 32,000 low-income seniors to benefit from PACE/PACENET.
“In these uncertain economic times, our seniors are facing rising costs on every front,” Farry commented. “This bill is about protecting their ability to afford essential medications and age with dignity.”
The PACE and PACENET programs are funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery and have supported hundreds of thousands of older adults since they were established by providing affordable prescriptions to those aged 65 and over.
