The House unanimously approved a measure this week to allow nearly 40,000 Pennsylvania seniors to maintain access and allow nearly 10,000 additional seniors to qualify for the PACE and PACENET prescription drug programs.

House Bill 777 would allow seniors who would be bumped from eligibility by Social Security cost-of-living adjustments to stay in the PACE and PACENET programs and also would deduct Medicare Part B premiums from one's income in order to increase eligibility for both programs.The PACE and PACENET programs offer life-sustaining medications to approximately 300,000 older Pennsylvanians. House Bill 777 now moves to the Senate for consideration.