The Elder Prescription Insurance Plan (EPIC)

Bulletin

Medicare's New Prescription Drug Program
Begins January 1, 2006

The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) wants you to know that change is coming from Medicare and it will affect all EPIC participants. Medicare's new prescription drug program is replacing EPIC's pharmacy benefit. To continue your pharmacy benefit without interruption, you should enroll in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan by December 31, 2005.

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The Elder Prescription Insurance Plan (EPIC) is a prescription drug assistance program developed by the State of Michigan . EPIC replaces the Michigan Emergency Pharmaceutical Program for Seniors (MEPPS) program and the Prescription Drug tax Credit.    EPIC allows qualified older adults to fill all of their prescription needs every month through the use of an EPIC card at participating pharmacies. The income qualification level would be set at 200% of poverty. The program will be administered by First Health Services Corporation.

Those approved through the application process will receive their EPIC cards by mail from First Health Services Corporation, an organization designated by the State of Michigan to administer the program.  The EPIC card is an identification card that participants will be able to present to pharmacists indicating their eligibility.

Cost to Participants

Participants will be required to pay an annual $25 application fee, plus a co-payment based on household income. With some exceptions, no prescription co-payment can cost a senior more than 20% of the total cost of the drug.

Who is Eligible? - At this time only the Emergency EPIC program is accepting applications

To be eligible for EPIC , participants must be:

• age 65 or older
• a Michigan resident for at least 3 months prior to submitting an application
• household income at or below 200% of poverty. (Current 200% of poverty is $19,140 for a single person, and $25,660 for a two person family).
• non-institutionalized
• not currently receiving benefits through Medicaid
• not receiving prescription benefits through any other insurance program, except for Medicare supplemental insurance coverage or any potential federal program.

To be eligible for Emergency EPIC , participants must be:

• The guidelines for Emergency EPIC are the same as the regular EPIC program except for the income guidelines. The incomes guidelines for Emergency EPIC is that the total gross household income is less than or equal to 150% of the federal poverty limit; the 2005 income limit is $14,355 per year for individuals and $19,245 per year for a couple. The EPIC program does not allow deductions or losses in calculating household income.

Closest Epic Intake Center :

 Click on: “Senior EPIC Centers” at: http://www.miepic.com/