State Representative Peter Tercyak (D-26), House Chair of the legislature’s Human Services Committee, says legislation (HB 5301) adjusting the income limit for the state’s Medicare Savings Program has passed the Connecticut House of Representatives unanimously.

Rep. Tercyak

“This will prevent seniors and people with disabilities from losing their benefits next week,” said Tercyak, who led debate on the House floor. “A welcome increase in social security benefits threatened to make thousands of Connecticut residents ineligible for certain Medicare benefits, but now we have rectified that. With so many seniors struggling to make ends meet, this modification will be a real lifesaver and allow them to continue to receiving medical care. I urge my colleagues in the State Senate to approve this change as soon as possible.”

The bill, which now moves to the State Senate, raises the income limit for the Medicare Savings Program in order to accommodate an anticipated 3.6% Social Security income cost of living increase (COLA) which takes effect on March 1.

Tercyak said there was an income adjustment for Medicare Savings Program enrollees scheduled for October 1, but the COLA taking effect on March 1 would have put some beneficiaries over the program’s income limits, causing them to lose some or all of their coverage.

The Medicare Savings Program helps seniors and people with disabilities pay for their Medicare co-pays and deductibles.