Hailed As An EPIC Win For Seniors
State Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky announced that New York’s Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program has had some restoration of funds under the enacted 2012-2013 State Budget.
“As a state senator, I have made a commitment to ensure that government provides vital services to those who need them most,” Stavisky said. “This year’s budget takes the concerns of our state’s seniors into account and has provided a safeguard so that they will never have to worry about affording the medications they require.”
The new budget restores a portion of the funding, $31.4 million, for the EPIC program and ensures that seniors will go back to paying no more than a $20 co-payment for each prescription.
Had the program been cut, this cost would have been up to 25 percent of the drug’s retail price, which can be a high burden for seniors on a fixed income. More than 285,000 New Yorkers rely on the EPIC program.
“Our state’s senior citizens, especially those on fixed incomes, have been amongst the hardest hit during our current economic downturn,” Stavisky added. “EPIC funds will help provide critical medications to vulnerable seniors who need them most.”
