[NYAPRS Enews] Alert: Urge Gov Spitzer to Expand EPIC to Cover People With Disabilities Under the Age of 65

[Harvey Rosenthal]

NYAPRS Note: The following comes from our friends at the Statewide
System's Advocacy Network at the NY Association on Independent Living.

 

Expand EPIC to Cover People With Disabilities Under the Age of 65

SSAN Action Alert    December 3, 2007

 

Currently, the EPIC program (NY State's pharmaceutical assistance
program) is limited to people age 65 and over. People with disabilities
under age 65, like the elderly, live on fixed incomes and often have
significant prescription drug needs. However, non-elderly adults with
disabilities do not have the prescription drug safety net offered by
EPIC.

 

At least 15 other states, including Massachusetts, New Jersey, and
Connecticut, have pharmacy assistance programs that cover non-elderly
adults with disabilities.

 

Medicare Part D has such large gaps in its coverage that it has not
solved the prescription coverage problem for many New Yorkers. Some
cannot afford the cost-sharing that Part D requires. Others cannot buy
all of the drugs they need through Part D due to formulary restrictions
imposed by Part D plans. Some people with disabilities are actually
worse off with Part D coverage than they were before its implementation.

 

Further, many non-elderly adults with disabilities are not eligible for
Part D because they are in the two-year waiting period for Medicare
after being approved for SSDI. 

 

At the same time, Part D has created an opportunity to expand EPIC to
people with disabilities at a lower cost to the State than ever before.
Part D plans would bear a significant portion of the costs of an EPIC
expansion. Thanks to the enrollment of EPIC seniors in Medicare Part D,
the EPIC program saved $120 million in 2006 and another $143 million
this year. These savings alone would provide more than enough funds to
expand EPIC. Now that EPIC seniors are required to enroll in Part D
plans, the savings to EPIC will be even greater.

 

Despite the fact that an EPIC expansion was not included in last year's
budget, your efforts have been instrumental in making crucial progress
on this issue. Through the end of 2007, Governor Spitzer is seeking
input from the public about next year's budget, so now is an opportune
time to send emails to the Governor asking him to include EPIC expansion
in next year's Executive Budget. 

 

ACTION: 

Tell Governor Spitzer that New Yorkers with disabilities desperately
need EPIC!  

Please go to
http://capwiz.com/cidny/issues/alert/?alertid=10590951&type=SW&azip=1000
3&bzip=4704&show_alert=1 and click on the "Go!" button to send your
message to the Governor. 

 

If you have any questions concerning this Action Alert, please contact
Anne Shearer, 518-465-4650 or ashearer at ilny.org

------------

 

EPIC EXPANSION?

Crain's Health Pulse  November 30, 2007

 

Health advocates are lobbying for Gov. Eliot Spitzer to broaden EPIC,
the state's drug assistance program for the elderly, so that it would
cover people under 65 with disabilities. They want EPIC to cover people
who receive Social Security Disability Insurance and fall within EPIC's
income levels.

 

Currently, people with disabilities who have too much income for
Medicaid receive coverage through Medicare, but that plan leaves
significant gaps. It's unclear how many people would be added to EPIC's
rolls as a result of the change. 

 

About 414,000 New Yorkers under 65 with disabilities are covered by
Medicare, but not all of them would meet EPIC's income criteria. 

 

The advocates also want EPIC eligibility extended to those who get SSDI
but are still in the two-year Medicare waiting period. An expansion

of EPIC could be funded by using the EPIC savings from Medicare Part D,
some $143 million in 2007. Advocates include the Center for Independence
of the Disabled, the Medicare Rights Center and New Yorkers for
Accessible Health Coverage.

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