HARRISBURG – Sen. Judy Ward (R-30) applauded the Senate’s passage of House Bills 291 and 1260 yesterday that expands eligibility for seniors participating in the state’s PACE/PACENET programs.
PACE/PACENET lowers the cost of prescription drugs for about 300,000 low-income residents age 65 and older. Annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for social security benefits, however, result in some beneficiaries losing their coverage.
“Seniors should never have to face the difficult choice between paying for their life-sustaining medications and other essential living expenses, so ensuring that they do not lose these helpful programs because they receive a Social Security COLA is critical,” Sen. Ward said.
House Bill 291 extends the current social security COLA moratorium, set to expire on Dec. 31, through the end of 2023, preserving benefits for an estimated 5,100 seniors. House Bill 1260 modernizes the maximum income limits for participants, thereby eliminating the need for these continued COLA moratoriums.
Ward sponsored companion legislation in January – Senate Bills 323 and 668 – that passed unanimously in the upper chamber in June.
“These bills, like the companion bills I am sponsoring in the Senate, will preserve eligibility for many seniors and expand the programs to many more who are living on fixed incomes,” Ward said. “I will continue to fight to protect these benefits that support our most vulnerable population.”
CONTACT: Nathan Akers, 717-787-5490