Sec. 1. 36 MRSA §6162-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. RR, §6, is further amended to read:

2. Income. Eligibility for this program is determined by the same income levels as eligibility for elderly households is determined under chapter 907, except that individuals are also eligible for this program if the household spends at least 40% of its income on unreimbursed direct medical expenses for prescription drugs and the household income is not more than 25% higher than the levels specified in chapter 907. For the purposes of this subsection, the costs of drugs provided to a household under this chapter is considered a cost spent by the household for eligibility determination purposes section 6212-A.

Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §6212-A is enacted to read:

§6212-A.__Elderly low-cost drug program eligibility

A claimant representing an elderly household qualifies for benefits under an elderly low-cost drug program established in Title 22, section 254 if that claimant's annual income is at or below the income limitations of this section.__Health-related costs for prescriptions, medical supplies and health insurance up to a maximum of $150 per month per person in the household are deducted from income in determining eligibility.

1.__Single-member elderly household.__A single-member elderly household with an annual income at or below $13,500 is eligible for benefits under an elderly low-cost drug program extablished in Title 22, section 254.

2.__Elderly household with 2 or more members.__An elderly household with 2 or more members with an annual income at or below $15,000 is eligible for benefits under an elderly low-cost drug program established in Title 22, section 254.

SUMMARY

This bill changes the eligibility levels for an elderly low- cost drug program to grant eligibility to single-person households with an annual income up to $13,500 and households of 2 or more members with an annual income up to $15,000. Health- related costs for prescriptions, medical supplies and health insurance are deducted from income in determining eligibility.