A bill sponsored by Senator Diane Allen, R-Burlington, that will ensure that seniors aren’t dropped from programs that help them pay for the cost of buying prescription drugs was cleared today by the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. Senator Joseph Vitale, D-Middlesex, is a second prime sponsor on S-149 with Senator Allen.
“Our state has two excellent prescription drug programs for seniors – the PAAD (Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled) program for those with low incomes, and Senior Gold, which helps seniors of low- and moderate-income with the potentially unaffordable costs of paying for the medications they need to survive and maintain a high quality of life,” said Senator Allen “But I have had seniors come to my office who have dropped from one of these programs because of a slight income decrease or increase. They have had to forgo important, life-sustaining medication because they could no longer afford it.
“S-149 puts a stop to that. Once this bill is passed, seniors dropped from one program will be automatically enrolled in the other assistance program, if they qualify.
“That means that seniors whose incomes rise slightly will not have to enroll in Senior Gold if they are dropped from PAAD. It will be done automatically. And they will be automatically enrolled in PAAD if their incomes fall to levels that demonstrate that they must have more generous assistance.
“New Jersey seniors live longer, happier lives if they get the prescription drugs they need. Failure to provide access to life-saving medication isn’t just a terrible way to treat the folks that raised us and built our state – it can lead to higher emergency room and charity hospital costs for everyone. Access to PAAD and Senior Gold programs should be as easy as we can make it.”
Link to Post:
Similar Posts:
- Committee Advances Connors, Rumpf & Gove Senior Property Tax Relief Initiative
February 18, 2010 - Pennacchio: Lautenberg and Menendez Fail New Jersey and Its Seniors
November 24, 2009 - State Matters: Senator Beck Discusses Health Care Services for NJ Residents
April 3, 2009 - Senator Allen’s Bill Requiring Drug Testing at State Facilities Becomes Law
January 22, 2010 - Casagrande and Angelini Patient Rights Appeal Notification Bill Moves Through Committee
February 9, 2010
