HARRISBURG – Legislation sponsored by Sen. Frank Farry (R-6) to protect thousands of Pennsylvania seniors from losing access to life-sustaining prescription medications has passed the Senate.
Senate Bill 731 would extend the practice of excluding Social Security cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) when calculating income eligibility for the PACE and PACENET programs. The exclusion is set to expire at the end of 2025; Senate Bill 731 would extend it through Dec. 31, 2027.
“PACE and PACENET provide a vital lifeline to more than a quarter million older Pennsylvanians,” Farry said. “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 long been an advocate for expanding access to senior prescription assistance. In 2018, he played a key role in raising the income eligibility limits for PACE and PACENET for the first time since the programs began, allowing an additional 32,000 low-income seniors access to the PACE/PACENET program.
“In these uncertain economic times, our seniors are facing rising costs on every front,” Farry said. “This bill is about protecting their ability to afford essential medications and age with dignity.”
Funded by the Pennsylvania Lottery, the PACE and PACENET programs have helped hundreds of thousands of older adults since their inception, providing low-cost prescriptions to those 65 and older.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration.
CONTACT: Nicole McGerry