Many Central New Yorkers already spend too much of their hard-earned money on out-of-pocket health expenses. That’s why Assemblyman Magnarelli has been working to keep health care costs from spiraling out of control by:

• Expanding the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program by raising the income eligibility levels – making 215,000 more seniors eligible for the program (Ch. 57 of 2000)
• Blocking the governor’s fee increases to the EPIC program
• Rejecting a "sick tax" on hospitals and other health care providers costing local hospitals $8 million

Assemblyman Magnarelli sponsored a law that makes more seniors eligible for the "Over 65" property tax exemption (Ch. 512 of 2003) by increasing the income threshold from $21,500 to $24,000. He also:

• Helped create a 10 percent tax credit for people who pay long-term care insurance for elderly or disabled family members – saving eligible families $5 million annually
• Worked to reduce the Gross Receipts Tax on gas and electricity purchased by residential consumers – saving them $110 million
• Supported a cut in the marriage tax penalty – saving married couples $150 million annually
• Helped raise income eligibility levels for enhanced STAR – providing an average savings of $1,010 a year for Onondaga County homeowners 65 and over with incomes up to $63,750

To provide more people with access to low-cost prescriptions, Assemblyman Magnarelli sponsored legislation (A.3914) to make low-income individuals with disabilities who are either eligible for or receiving Social Security Disability to receive benefits from New York’s EPIC program. Currently, the EPIC program offers drug assistance to eligible senior citizens who face high-cost pharmaceuticals, but do not qualify for Medicaid. Magnarelli voted in favor of this bill in the Assembly’s Committee on Health, and is working for Assembly passage of this vital legislation.

To assist Central New York seniors, Assemblyman Magnarelli:

• Sponsored a law to protect senior homeowners from unscrupulous predatory lenders who often go after their homes (Ch. 626 of 2002)
• Helped create the Do-Not-Call Registry and supported a law to merge the state and national lists to protect residents from harassing telemarketing phone calls (Ch. 124 of 2003)
• Sponsored legislation to enhance the successful AMBER Alert program to include disoriented adults, including those suffering from Alzheimer’s – a measure that deserves support despite the governor’s veto (A.3507)
• Supported legislation creating a statewide program to ensure telephone access for all New Yorkers, including the hearing and visually impaired (A.3215)