Drug Assistance Program for Seniors Is Changing

Under a change in state law beginning July 1st, ConnPACE, a program to reduce drug costs for low income seniors on Medicare in Connecticut will end. But there’s good news.

Seniors on Medicare are eligible for a federally-funded program called the Medicare Savings Program (MSP). Income guidelines for the MSP are the same as for ConnPACE, so no one currently on ConnPACE will be excluded from MSP. What’s better is that benefits available to seniors with the MSP are equal to or better than those under ConnPACE. If a senior is on ConnPACE but not on MSP, they will need to sign up for the new program.

As for those benefits that are equal; ConnPACE used to pay the monthly premium for seniors’ Medicare Part D coverage. The MSP will too. In both ConnPACE and MSP there are no deductibles and no “Donut Hole.” 

The MSP program is better for seniors in the following ways. ConnPACE capped costs for a 30-day supply of prescriptions to $16.25. The MSP caps the cost of brand name drugs at $6.30 and at $2.50 for generics. ConnPACE only paid for drug-related costs. The MSP will also pay seniors’ Medicare Part B premium (and these premiums can be between $96.40 and $115.40 per month). To belong to ConnPACE, seniors had to pay a $45 per year membership fee. The MSP is free. In addition, some seniors with the lowest incomes who qualify for the MSP Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries Program (QMB) also can have help paying for Medicare Part A and Part B deductibles and co-pays if their medical providers accept both Medicare and Medicaid.

If you are a senior on ConnPACE, you got a letter during the second week of June explaining all of this. If you have questions or need help to sign up for the MSP, call the Commission on Aging office at 203-862-6710 for help. If you have a parent on Medicare who may be on ConnPACE, call them and ask if they need help in understanding these changes. If your parents aren’t on ConnPACE, call them anyway to say hello. They love hearing from you.