We're gonna need a bigger bingo hall! 👨🏼🦳🎉 PA's senior population is on the rise. The growing number of seniors also means less working age people out and about AND more challenges for the state to pay for senior programs. 💸
The powers-that-be are scheming up some financial solutions to support an increased demand for senior services. Gov. Shapiro recently proposed budget increases for a 10-year master plan to take care of the Keystone State's favorite grannies and g-pops. 👵🏽
Here’s Five Fast Facts about PA's master plan for the aging:
- 🎰 Winner Winner Chicken Dinner - The plan requests additional lottery funding for the $10 million increase for the Area Agency on Aging network, and $1 million in senior center grants. This increase will help reduce waiting lists for services in PA's OPTIONS program, boost support for senior community centers, and help seniors age in place in the comfort of their own homes.
- 🧢 Tip Your Cap - Increased funding is also being requested for the Property Tax Rent Rebate Program. Today, the program benefits over 570,000 elderly and disabled Pennsylvanians. Rebate caps would increase from $650 to $1,000, and income caps for homeowners and renters would increase to $45,000 from $35,000. Officials also want to start adjusting the income cap with inflation starting in 2024.
- 🌽 Food Fight - To help seniors cope with rising grocery costs (thanks, inflation), the new budget includes an increase in the minimum Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefit. The minimum benefit for eligible seniors would increase from $23 to $35.
- 💊 Where's My Meds? - The Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly moratorium was put into place in 2019. The program allowed 10,000 people keep their prescription drug benefits, even though their Social Security cost of living adjustments put them in a disqualifying income bracket. The moratorium is set to expire this December, which would mean a loss of coverage for half of those people. Officials are looking into another possible extension.
- 👩🏾🦳 See You at Bridge Club! - Many older folks depend on PA’s 517 senior centers, which receive a reported $7 million worth of grant requests each year. The program is currently funded at just $2 million. Even though there's an additional $1 million for the centers in the budget, some officials are wondering if that's enough to cover things.
🔥Bottom line: The cost of caring for an increasing senior population is pretty steep. However, the right investments are necessary to make sure older PA residents can age comfortably at home, in the communities they know and love. For now, it seems like the state will look toward lottery funding to cover the budget increases. Will we see tax hikes or budget cuts in other areas? We'll keep our eyes on this one.
Do you or any of the seniors in your life depend on these programs?
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