'EPIC' Changes Coming in January

On October 4, 2011, Senator Joe Addabbo and NYS Department of Health's Medicare-EPIC program representative, Gema Diaz, were at the Woodhaven-Richmond Hill Senior Center for the previous EPIC lecture series at senior centers in Addabbo's district to explain changes affecting EPIC members between July 1, 2011 - January 1, 2012.  

Addabbo Co-Sponsors Senior Lecture Series with NYS Dept. of Health's Medicaid-EPIC Program

Queens, NY – New York State Senator Joseph Addabbo, Jr., is co-sponsoring a lecture series, "Changes to EPIC," with Gema Diaz, a representative from the NYS Department of Health’s Medicare-EPIC Program.

The series will run from August through October at various senior centers or AARP chapters in the senator’s district and covers the changes to New York’s Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) prescription-drug program, now that the 2012-13 state budget restored $30.6 million. This will reinstate co-payment assistance for almost 300,000 EPIC enrollees, thereby returning the EPIC program to two plans again. 

In January 2012, more than a quarter of a million seniors around our state were affected by major cuts to New York’s Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) prescription-drug program.

Consequently, EPIC provided prescription-drug coverage only after a member fell into the Medicare prescription coverage gap (the “doughnut hole”) when the total drug costs for an individual reached $2,930.

Currently, seniors enrolled in the EPIC program are forced to pay 25 percent of the cost of each prescription drug. With the co-payment assistance restored, enrollees will return to paying no more than $20 co-payment for each prescription.

All EPIC members will be notified of the changes, and how they will be affected, by letter. Eligibility requirements remain the same: NYS resident, 65 or older, with income up to $35,000 single or $50,000 married.

Applicants cannot be receiving full Medicaid benefits but may have a Medicaid spend down. If a member cancels their Medicare Part D coverage, they will not receive any benefits from EPIC and coverage may be canceled. Members must have Part D in order to receive EPIC benefits and maintain EPIC coverage.

To help Addabbo’s huge senior population in his district conveniently prepare for these changes coming January 1, 2013, the senator’s office has set the first two EPIC lectures for August 14 at 10:45 am, Howard Beach Senior Center, 156-45 84th Street, in Howard Beach, and August 16 at 11:00 am, Maspeth Senior Center, 69-61 Grand Ave., in Maspeth. 

Two more lectures are set for September and three more will continue the series in October.

Contact (718) 738-1111 or (718) 497-1630 for more information. 

Senator Addabbo Issues Statement on Gun Violence

Yesterday’s tragic shooting in Wisconsin reminds us again that illegal and criminal gun violence poses a serious threat to communities across the country, and cannot be tolerated. When innocent people going about their daily lives, such as going to the movies, playing in a park or praying at a religious site, are fatal victims to brutal crimes, action must be taken. 

As a State Senator, I feel it is my duty to advocate against gun violence and to ensure that our law enforcement agencies are given the resources they need to keep our communities safe. We must examine all legislative means necessary to address this issue. Our focus should always be on preventing future acts of violence, not merely reacting to the latest senseless act.

My prayers are with the families of the recent victims. Let us move forward with renewed purpose in ending senseless gun violence.