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February 23, 2022

Department of Aging: 100,000 Older Adults Now Eligible to Apply for Prescription Assistance

Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Aging announced a new law that expands income eligibility limits for the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly Needs Enhancement Tier (PACENET) program is now in effect. Governor Tom Wolf signed legislation into law in December 2021 that allows an additional 100,000 older adults to now become eligible to sign up for the program with enrollment beginning this month.

The law expands the PACENET income limits by $6,000:
      • Singles: from $27,500 to $33,500
      • Married: from $35,500 to $41,500

“Now with the increase in the income eligibility limit, more older adults can take advantage of the benefits that the PACENET program provides. This can help make it easier for older Pennsylvanians to keep money in their pocket,” said Tom Snedden, PACE director. “It is crucial that as many older adults as possible be eligible to take advantage of this program.”

The PACE program offers comprehensive prescription coverage and currently has more than 250,000 older Pennsylvanians enrolled. Director Snedden noted that more than 11,000 older adults who had previously applied and were waiting for the new law to take effect have already received their benefits cards. Another 10,000 older adults are expected to enroll in 2022.

“With the continued growth of Pennsylvania’s senior population in the years to come, safety net programs, like PACE, become critically important to support and maintain,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres. “The PACE program has served as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of older Pennsylvanians offering them financial assistance and significant savings to help pay for their prescription medications. With this new law now in place, I encourage every eligible older Pennsylvanian to sign up for this vital program.”

The PACE program – funded with revenue from the Pennsylvania Lottery – began July 1, 1984 to provide comprehensive reimbursement coverage for prescription medications to qualified older Pennsylvanians. The program serves older Pennsylvanians 65 years of age and older, many of whom require multiple medications for several chronic conditions.

Learn more about the PACE/PACENET program along with other programs and services for older adults by visiting the Department of Aging’s website.

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