The general fund appropriation for the Family Caregiver Support Program provides for a 2.7% increase, which will not allow any additional families to be served. Currently the program serves 6,600 persons. The program assists families who maintain frail relatives in their home by providing benefits counseling and, depending on income, financial assistance including supplies, services and home adaptation devices.

    The budget includes a 4% increase in the PENNCARE appropriation. This level of funding will provide for a 2.7% increase to Aging Services and a 3.5% increase to In-Home Services. Additionally, the increase will provide for enhanced attendant care services to 216 persons and for the continuation of the elder abuse education and prevention program.

    This budget continues the Grants to Senior Centers Program at $4.0 million. These grants provide capital assistance to approximately 100 senior centers in the Commonwealth.

    Included in the budget is $150,000 for Legal Advocacy Programs for Older Pennsylvanians.

    The PACE Program is increased by $23.0 million to expand pharmaceutical assistance to 287,390 older Pennsylvanians. This includes $14.4 million to continue the PACENET Program which was added in 1996. The number of older Pennsylvanians enrolled and the total prescriptions per year for the PACENET program decreased from last year=s budget because HMO=s have aggressively recruited persons in the Medicare plans which provide premium-free prescription benefits. The Administration expects that HMO=s will discontinue this coverage. In addition, the Administration=s numbers are based on attaining full anticipated enrollment levels, using the enrollment experience in the initial implementation of the comprehensive PACE program.

    In the current year, the Administration had claimed 75,000 additional seniors would enroll in PACENET. As of April 17, 1998, only 12,126 seniors have enrolled. Only 7,880 senior citizens have received benefits, due to the $550 deductible required by PACENET. Moreover, total enrollment in PACE has declined to the lowest level in years. The Department reports that as of April 17^th, enrollment is at 249,452. This is 16,638 or 6% below enrollment of just one year ago.