Assemblyman Steve Hawley Helping you get more out of your retirement money...

Delivering the Change Western New York Deserves
STEVE
HAWLEY
ASSEMBLY



STEVE
HAWLEY
ASSEMBLY
Delivering the Change Western New York Deserves

According to the 2000 United States Census, New York’s seniors constitute 12.9 percent of the State’s population. Only California and Florida have larger senior populations.

The U.S. Census projects that New York’s senior population will grow nine percent by the year 2010.

HEAP

Home Energy Assistance Program is a federally-funded program designed to help eligible households with the cost of heating their homes. HEAP is administered locally by Departments of Social Services. Eligibility is determined by household income. For example, this year, one person households earning less than $1,876 a month are eligible (for couples the income limit is $2,454 per month).

HEAP also offered a number of other programs to help defray the cost of other home-heating related services. For example, HEAP offers a Furnace Repair and Replacement Component. The deadline for this service is September 30, 2008.

For more information about HEAP, call the New York State HEAP Hotline at 1-800-342-3009. To apply for HEAP, please contact your county Department of Social Services:

Genesee County Department of Social Services
5130 East Main Street, Suite 3
Batavia, NY 14020
(585) 344-2580 Extension 6524

Monroe County Department of Social Services
111 Westfall Road, Room B-14
Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 753-6477

Niagara County Department of Social Services
20 East Avenue, Box 506
Lockport, NY 14095
(716) 439-7744 or (716) 278-8645

Orleans County Department of Social Services
14016 Route 31 West
Albion, NY 14411-9365
(585) 589-7000

Senior Heat Tax Rebate: In addition to proposing legislation that creates new sales tax exemptions and income tax credits on Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient building materials, Steve Hawley is also working to provide New York State seniors with a new $200 Heat Tax Rebate (Assembly Bill 5353-A).

Health & Prescription Savings

Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage Program (EPIC):
EPIC is a New York State sponsored prescription plan for senior citizens who do not receive full Medicaid benefits and need help paying for their prescriptions. Over 360,000 seniors already belong and are saving, on average, over 80 percent off the cost of their medicines. The average EPIC enrollee saves $1,900 per year on prescription drug costs.

EPIC PROGRAMS ELIGIBILITY (single) ELIGIBILITY (married)
EPIC Annual Income of:
$35,000 or less
Annual Income of:
$50,000 or less
EPIC Fee: seniors pay an annual fee based on income and receive prescriptions at a discounted price, only paying a co-payment. Annual Income of:
$20,000 or less
Annual Income of:
$26,000 or less
EPIC Deductible: allows seniors to pay a co-payment for their prescriptions after they have met their specified deductible cost (based on income). Annual Income of:
$20,001 to $35,000
Annual Income of:
$26,001 to $50,000

As of 2007, seniors with EPIC have to join a Medicare Part D program to keep their EPIC coverage. To help keep your costs low, EPIC does help pay Medicare Part D premiums. It also helps cover the Part D plan deductibles, co-payments, coverage gap, and drugs not covered by the Part D plan. CALL EPIC help line 1-800-332-3742 to enroll.

EPIC Extra:
Steve Hawley is working to increase EPIC benefits for seniors. Assembly Bill 3645-A will allow every senior with an income of $60,000 or less to claim an annual income tax deduction of up to $1,000 to defray the cost of prescription drugs.

Medicare Part D:
In 2006 the new Medicare prescription drug coverage benefit, also known as Medicare Part D, was started to help seniors and individuals with disabilities access comprehensive coverage with limited premiums and deductibles. Part D is available through private plans, including stand-alone prescription plans (PDPs) or Medicare private plans such as an HMO, PPO or PFFS. Individuals are eligible to join from 3 months before their 65th birthday to 3 months after their 65th birthday and from November 15 to December 31 each year.

VISIT the United States government official web site for people with Medicare: www.medicare.gov for information.

Prescription Drug Guides for Seniors:
Last year, Steve Hawley helped pass legislation (Assembly Bill 6278) to help seniors understand their prescriptions more easily. This bill requires the New York State Board of Pharmacy, in conjunction with the New York State Consumer Protection Board, to publish a guide explaining the purpose, function and common drug interactions of prescriptions commonly used by seniors. Help ensure this bill becomes law by writing to your State Senator!

Long-Term Health Insurance:
Steve Hawley is working to ensure seniors have long-term health care at an affordable price. Assembly Bill 5579 will help senior citizens afford their long-term health insurance needs by increasing the tax credit for long-term care insurance to 25 percent of premiums paid.


WAYS TO SAVE ON YOUR TAXES...

Enhanced STAR for Seniors:
In addition to the STAR and Middle Class STAR Rebate programs, the state offers the Enhanced STAR for Seniors program in order to provide homeowners, aged 65 and older, with additional property tax exemptions. All homeowners, aged 65 and older, with an income less than $70,650 are eligible for the tax exemption. Additionally, all property owners, regardless of age and income, are eligible for the Middle Class STAR Rebate program. For more information, contact the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance at www.nystax.gov.

Cutting Your Tax Burden:
Steve Hawley is aggressive about cutting taxes for New Yorkers, especially seniors. In addition to fighting to increase the amount of your rebate check, Steve Hawley is proposing legislation that would save New York State’s average senior homeowner hundreds more off property taxes (Assembly Bill 8775-A). Steve Hawley is also sponsoring Assembly Bill 9465 in order to double the amount of rebate checks through the Enhanced STAR program.


You’ve worked your whole life to save money for retirement.

Steve Hawley is helping you save more of it.


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