Many who live in the Hudson Valley already spend too much of their hard-earned money on out-of-pocket health expenses. That’s why Assemblymember Cahill 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 last year’s "sick tax" on hospitals and other health care providers, potentially costing local hospitals $4.8 million

To provide more people with access to low-cost prescriptions, Assemblymember Cahill authored bill A.5475 and sponsored bill A.3914, both of which would expand the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program by making low-income individuals with disabilities, regardless of age, eligible to receive EPIC benefits.

Currently, the EPIC program offers prescription assistance to income-eligible Senior citizens 65 years of age and older, but not younger low-income individuals with disabilities.

Assemblymember Cahill supported a law that makes more Seniors eligible for the "Over 65" property tax exemption by increasing the income threshold from $21,500 to $24,000 (Ch. 512 of 2003). 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
• Authored legislation that would allow people with disabilities with limited incomes who have school-aged children living in their homes to maintain their disability and limited income exemption from certain taxes (A.11490)
• Helped raise income eligibility levels for enhanced STAR – providing an average savings of $1,090 a year for Ulster and Dutchess County homeowners 65 and over with incomes up to $63,750

To assist Hudson Valley Seniors, Assemblymember Cahill:

• Supported 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 sponsored a law to merge the state and national lists to protect residents from harassing telemarketing phone calls (Ch. 124 of 2003)
• Supported 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)
• Sponsored legislation creating a statewide program to ensure telephone access for all New Yorkers, including the hearing and visually impaired (A.3215)