Assemblymember Harry B. Bronson (D-Rochester/Chili/Riga/Rush/Wheatland) announced that the 2012-13 state budget allocates $30.6 million for EPIC restoration. The funds will be used to bring back the co-payment assistance program that was eliminated on Jan. 1, 2012.

“In our current economic climate, we need to make sure we are doing everything we can to take care of our seniors,” Assemblymember Bronson said. “The reinstitution of this co-payment assistance program will provide seniors with much-needed economic relief.”

This co-payment assistance will require seniors to pay no more than a $20 co-payment when receiving their prescriptions through Medicare Part D plan. Currently, seniors can be required to pay up to 25 percent of the cost of the drug as their co-payment for each prescription they need filled. In September 2011, Monroe County had 13,881 enrollees in EPIC.ⁱ

“Without the co-payment assistance in place, seniors were often forced to pay upwards of $100 for one prescription,” Assemblymember Bronson said. “Seniors should be able to get the medicine they need without worrying about being able to afford other basic necessities.”

i. Rocdocs.democratandchronicle.com/database/epic-enrollment