Res. No. 385 Title Resolution calling upon the New York State Senate to adopt S. 4342, an act to amend the executive law to provide that an individual shall not become ineligible under the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program due to an increase in public or private pension or social security benefits. Body By Council Members Nelson, Comrie, Felder, Fidler, Gerson, Gioia, Jackson, Lopez, McMahon, Recchia, Seabrook, Serrano, Stewart, Baez and Gallagher; also Council Members Boyland, Quinn and Rivera Whereas, The Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program was established in 1987 to assist low- to moderate-income residents of New York State aged sixty-five and older in paying for prescription drugs; and Whereas, To qualify, single persons must have incomes of $35,000 or less, and married couples must have incomes of $50,000 or less; and Whereas, Each year, the high costs of prescription drugs continue to escalate; and Whereas, According to a report by the National Institute for Health Care Management Research and Educational Foundation, the projected increase in prescription drug costs for 2002 is 13.5%; and Whereas, Statistics from the Social Security Administration reflect that the annual median income for senior citizens rises only nominally; and Whereas, Most annual income increases for seniors are derived from cost of living increases in pension and social security benefits; and Whereas, On April 17, 2002, the New York State Assembly passed Bill number A. 5149, which would amend Section 547-b of the executive law to allow seniors to retain eligibility in the EPIC program if they previously qualified, but are no longer eligible solely due to an increase in public or private pension or social security benefits which does not exceed the consumer price index; and Whereas, The companion bill in the State Senate is S. 4342; and Whereas, To render seniors previously determined to be qualified for EPIC ineligible due to minimal pension or social security adjustments is inequitable; and Whereas, EPIC has been highly successful in helping to make prescription drugs affordable for seniors in New York State; and Whereas, The adoption of State Senate bill S. 4342 would only enhance EPIC by ensuring that the senior citizens the program was designed to assist are not penalized for nominal cost of living adjustments in pension and social security benefits; now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the New York State Senate to adopt S. 4342, an act to amend the executive law to provide that an individual shall not become ineligible under the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program due to an increase in public or private pension or social security benefits. CAB LS #811 |1013|