This year the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program changed significantly.
EPIC will only provide co-pay assistance for prescription drugs while members are in their Medicare Part D coverage gap (donut hole).
Until the coverage gap is reached, EPIC members will need to pay the price charged by their Part D plan for their drugs.
As a result of the program changes, more seniors will now be eligible for Part D drug plan premium assistance.
EPIC will pay the Medicare Part D premiums, up to the amount of a basic plan ($38.79 for 2012), for members with annual income below $23,000 if single and $29,000 if married. EPIC members with higher incomes will be responsible for paying their own Medicare Part D premiums. Under the new EPIC program, EPIC is free. EPIC fees and deductibles were eliminated.
An EPIC outreach representative will be available to help answer questions and enroll in the program on:
Please bring proof of age, Medicare Card, and 2011 income (including Social Security income) documentation.
Seniors who have questions about the EPIC program can call the EPIC Helpline at 1-800-332-3742 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m, or visit the EPIC website at www.nyhealth.gov and scroll to EPIC for Seniors on the left side of the page.
EPIC is a state-sponsored program that helps eligible senior citizens save on their prescription drugs. To be eligible for EPIC, the person must be a New York state resident, over the age of 65 years old, and whose annual income is $35,000 or less for a single person, or $50,000 or less for a married couple.
