Dear Editor:
Everyone looks forward to spending their golden years in fine style, relaxing, visiting grandchildren and participating in leisure activities and hobbies.
Unfortunately, illness can get in the way. Any senior citizens without prescription coverage can easily go through their entire savings account in a year or two by purchasing costly medications.
But not anymore. Beginning June 1, New Jersey seniors can apply for the Senior Gold Prescription Drug Discount Act.
The new Senior Gold plan will help about 100,000 moderate-income older adults to purchase prescription drugs, insulin, insulin supplies and diabetic testing materials for $15 plus one-half of the cost of the prescription. Members of Senior Gold who spend more than $2,000 per year, if single, or $3,000 per year, if married, pay only $15 per prescription.
For example, if a medication costs $50, a Senior Gold member would pay $15 plus half of the remaining cost, $17.50, for a total of $32.50.The state would pick up the rest of the balance.
However, Senior Gold will provide full coverage in the case of seniors who spend more than $2,000 a year (for singles) or $3,000 (if married). Seniors who meet this catastrophic cap will have to pay a $15 co-pay with the state paying the balance.
Who qualifies for Senior Gold? New Jersey residents over the age of 65 or those receiving Social Security disability benefits, whose income is between $19,238 and $29,238, if single; or between $23,589 and $33,589, if married. How can someone apply? Applications are available at local pharmacies, senior citizen centers, county offices on aging and on the Senior Gold website, www.state.nj.us. Qualified adults will receive a benefits card they need to show when purchasing medications.
New Jersey’s Senior Gold program compliments our existing Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) program, which offers low-income seniors and disabled persons who qualify to purchase medications at a $5 co-pay. About 200,000 seniors and disabled people receive discount medications through the PAAD program.
Senior Gold is poised to be a landmark program nationally and, in concert with the PAAD program, keeps New Jersey in the forefront of states with pharmaceutical assistance programs.
In my work as Senate President and now as acting Governor, I’ve continually championed for ways to help older adults maintain their health and lifestyle when they reach their senior years, making it easier for them to save not spend their retirement dollars.
That’s why I’ve looked for ways to improve our senior services, from pushing through an income tax exemption for qualifying seniors to increasing their homestead rebates.
It’s my goal to give New Jersey’s seniors the best services we can offer. They have given their best to New Jersey and we should give our best back to them. And New Jersey’s seniors deserve nothing less.
For more information on Senior Gold, call toll-free 1-800-792-9745.
Acting Governor Donald T. DiFrancesco