AARP Eye Center
Albany, N.Y. – AARP New York joined state Assemblymember John T. McDonald III, Assemblymember Patricia Fahy, the Public Utility Law Project and National Grid today to urge Governor Kathy Hochul to sign legislation that would reduce the utility costs of older New Yorkers enrolled in the state’s discount prescription drug program.
The measure (S.8760-A/A.9369-A) that unanimously passed the Senate and Assembly would auto-enroll eligible recipients of state Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) in the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP). Matching eligibility data from EPIC to energy affordability programs would benefit thousands of individuals age 65 and up with low or fixed incomes.
Governor Hochul has until the end of the year to sign the benefits-matching legislation, sponsored by Senator Cordell Cleare, of Harlem, and Assemblymember McDonald, of Cohoes.
“There should be no hesitation. The people who qualify for lower-cost prescription drugs tend to meet the income guidelines for lower-cost utilities,” AARP New York Executive Council Member Dr. Alvaro Carrascal, said during a news conference this morning at the State Capitol. “But as it stands, thousands of our older neighbors who struggle with their heating and cooling bills don’t even know help is available. With her signature, the governor would make life better for thousands of eligible older New Yorkers.”
A 2019 study by Columbia University and New York State Energy & Research Authority found that just 40% of the 1 million senior households in New York eligible for HEAP enrolled. Low participation leaves federal funds on the table. Meanwhile, utilities across New York State reported more than 1.3 million customers more than 60 days late on their monthly bills in June, while more than 645,000 faced service suspension.
The legislation would require the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and the state Department of Health, which oversees EPIC, to create an automated program to identify eligible recipients with verification by the Tax and Finance Department and enroll them in HEAP.
Senator Cleare, who chairs the Senate Aging Committee said: "When it comes to quality-of-life benefits for our beloved older New Yorkers, the presumption of eligibility should always be on the side of our seniors. Connecting the EPIC and HEAP programs to ensure cross-enrollment is a smart, rational and life-enhancing policy. I look forward to this important proposal becoming law in short order and building upon this model for years to come."
Assemblymember McDonald said: "I sponsored this important legislation because it makes sense to streamline the process to enroll seniors who are on a fixed income for HEAP. Both EPIC and HEAP are impactful programs that address affordability concerns for low-income communities. Enrolling more seniors into HEAP is also a safety issue as we continue to see rising temperatures during the summer months. Thank you to Senator Cleare for your partnership in this effort and to AARP for leading the effort on this legislation."
Assemblymember Fahy, a bill supporter who represents part of Albany County, said:
“Ensuring that EPIC recipients are automatically enrolled for HEAP will help empower more of our neighbors to access the earned benefits available to them. About 1 in 5 (19%) of Albany County and 1 in 4 (24%) of City of Albany residents have a high energy burden, meaning they pay more than 6% of their annual income on electricity, natural gas, and delivered fossil fuels. This legislation will help close that gap and deliver energy security to households across the Capital Region and New York State, and I urge the Governor to sign it into law as soon as possible.”
Public Utility Law Project (PULP) Executive Director and Counsel Laurie Wheelock said: “PULP supports this common-sense legislation that has the potential to aid thousands of older New Yorkers struggling to keep up with their winter heating bills. By streamlining the enrollment process, we can ensure that those who qualify for financial assistance actually receive it, without the need to navigate a burdensome application process. Plus, once a household receives HEAP, they should automatically be enrolled in their electric and gas utility company’s Energy Affordability Program, which provides an additional discount on monthly energy bills and further reduces the financial burden on low-income families. PULP thanks Assemblymember McDonald and Senator Cleare for their steadfast leadership, and we urge Governor Hochul to sign this bill without delay.”
The legislation is also supported by National Grid, which serves 1.7 million electricity customers and more than 640,000 gas customers across upstate New York.
Kim Ireland, Director of New York State Government Relations for National Grid, said, "National Grid has a long history of supporting our customers with affordability programs. We are pleased to stand with our partners at AARP and PULP to express our joint appreciation to Assemblyman McDonald and Senator Cleare for their sponsorship of this worthy legislation and to encourage Governor Hochul to sign it into law. By automatically enrolling eligible seniors from the Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage program into the Home Energy Assistance Program known as HEAP, it will ensure that the state's most vulnerable population receives essential assistance on their energy costs. Additionally, once enrolled in HEAP, our senior customers will also benefit from automatic enrollment in National Grid’s Energy Assistance Program monthly discount, reinforcing our commitment to delivering reliable and affordable energy to our customers. This legislation is a triple win by creating an efficient means to enrollment into three important programs for New York seniors.”
“Aligning the programs would be helpful to older individuals, particularly people of color, who are struggling but don’t seek assistance because they’re too proud,” said Albany resident and longtime EPIC recipient Geneva Conway, 92, who served as assistant director of nutritional services at Albany Memorial Hospital for more than 40 years. “But providing the help automatically would make such a difference.”
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About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation's largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.
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