PLATTSBURGH — Thousands of New York seniors will be affected by major cuts to the state's EPIC prescription-drug program, starting this month.

This is the latest round of changes to the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program, resulting from more than $36 million in funding cuts from the state budget. The first round occurred in July, not affecting its members with the lowest income.

EPIC will now provide prescription-drug coverage only once a member falls into the Medicare prescription coverage gap, nicknamed the "doughnut hole," when the total drug costs for an individual reaches $2,930.

Susan Scott, director of the Office for the Aging in Franklin County, said coverage shouldn't be this difficult for the most vulnerable of our population.

"People who have been on EPIC for 20-plus years won't understand the $300 deductible they'll have to pay and then the $200 for one drug. It's skyrocketed.

"It's confusing for so many seniors who should have done this or who should have done that," Scott said. "They fail to realize the effects until it's too late, and then they get a very large bill."

CO-PAYS

For many of the 292,000 enrollees, the recent changes mean EPIC will no longer provide assistance with co-payments until the enrollee reaches the doughnut hole and it won't give assistance with covering Medicare Part D premiums and deductibles, help for EPIC enrollees in choosing the best Medicare Part D Plan for prescription needs and emergency coverage if a claim is denied at the pharmacy counter.

Heidi Palmer, senior aging services aide of the Essex County Office for the Aging, acknowledges that it may be hard for seniors to come up with the money before getting their medicine.

"I believe some drugs will be going generic this year, so that helps," she said.

'TERRIBLE'

Debbie Bashaw, the services coordinator for the Office for the Aging in Franklin County, said more people would be losing their prescription than those who manage to reach the doughnut hole.

"It's absolutely terrible for those everyday people," Bashaw said. "It will be very hard for them."

Most of the drugs prescribed for senior citizens are for high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes, all typically preventable by diet and exercise.

The Franklin County Office for the Aging has already received hundreds of phone calls inquiring about EPIC's change.

"They all ask, 'What am I going to do? How am I going to pay for my medicine?'" Bashaw said.

"They're going to have to choose. They get $800 a month to pay for rent, heat, lights and medicine, among other things, and it (had) been two years without an increase in Social Security.

"I would love to see anyone in Washington do that for a month," Bashaw said.

CALL FOR HELP

Doreen Ocasio, the services aging specialist for the Office for the Aging in Clinton County, echoed Scott.

"They've had it a specific way for 22 years. We're anticipating phone calls," Ocasio said.

Enrollees have not been kept in the dark about EPIC's changes.

"EPIC has mailed out letters, upon letters, upon letters telling people how they will be affected," Ocasio said. "An EPIC representative has done information sessions. We've done articles in the paper and interviews on WIRY."

The offices recommend that concerned seniors call them offices for help.

"There are pharmaceutical programs that will provide financial relief to those who qualify," Palmer said.

Ocasio reiterated the message.

"If they have a plan with high deductibles, we want them to call us. Don't get frantic. See what options are out there. We know medicine is important."