As
a result of legislation enacted last year, the PACE and PACENET programs
were revised so that additional seniors will be able to qualify in 2004.
(For more information on this legislation, see the
December 18, 2003
Elder
Care Law Alert at http://www.paelderlaw.com/drugdiscount.html).
Here
are the new eligibility rules for PACE/PACENET for 2004.
Who
is Eligible to Apply?
- Residents
of
Pennsylvania
who are 65
years of age and older.
You are not
eligible for benefits if you are under
the age of 65 and disabled.
- Must
have been a resident of
Pennsylvania
for at least 90 days prior to application.
- You
are not eligible for pharmaceutical benefits through the Medical
Assistance program.
You
can apply for PACE/PACENET even if you have health insurance or limited
prescription benefits through another insurance.
PACE
or PACENET? Which Program is Best for You?
PACE
is the more generous program, which means that seniors will save more on
their prescriptions if they can qualify for PACE rather than PACENET.
Here are the current (2004) income and co-payment requirements for
the two programs.
PACE
If
you are single and your total previous
calendar year's income was less than $14,500,
or
If
you are married and your combined total previous
calendar year's income was less than $17,700 you may be
eligible for PACE.
PACE
has a
GENERIC CO-PAY of $6 for each covered prescription, and
a SINGLE-
SOURCE CO-PAY of $9 for each covered prescription.
PACENET
If
you are single and your total previous
calendar
year's income was between $14,500
and $23,500,
or
If
you are married and your combined previous
calendar year's income was between $17,700
and $31,
500, you may be eligible for PACE.
PACENET
has a monthly $40
cumulative deductible for each cardholder. Once that deductible
has been met, PACENET
has a GENERIC CO-PAY of $8 and a SINGLE-SOURCE
CO-PAY of $15
for each covered prescription. They
track your out-of-pocket costs for you.
How
is Income Defined?
Income
includes, but is not limited to sources like.
-Gross Social Security
-Railroad Retirement & SSI
-Salaries/Wages/Commissions
-Self-Employed or partnership income
-Alimony and Support money
-Taxable amount of annuities and IRA's
-Gifts and inheritance of cash or property
over $300
-Veteran's disability payments
-Pensions
What
Documents are needed to file an Application?
1.
Proof of Age
2.
Proof of Residence (Document must be at least 90 days old)
3.
Proof of Income (Last Years Income)
How
Do You Apply?
1.
You can contact your local Area Agency on Aging for more information
2.
Or you can call Pennsylvania Department of Aging at 1-800-225-7223
3.
Or you can e-mail the Department of Aging at PACECares@fhsc.com
-Return
to Prescription Drugs Page-
© 2000-2005
Marshall & Associates www.paelderlaw.com
