On Wednesday afternoon, Governor Palin announced that assistance to seniors will be continued at least through the month of July.
We will continue to provide the $120 cash payment and prescription drug benefits to seniors who qualified for the Senior Care Program for the month of July through the General Relief Assistance program.
All SeniorCare recipients are being transitioned from the Senior Care Program into the General Relief Assistance (GRA) program, and these benefits will be paid under GRA as a senior assistance benefit. We can no longer make reference to this help as SeniorCare as that program sunsets June 30, 2007.
There are many tasks that need to be completed to affect this change. Policy staff are working with the Department of Law to issue emergency regulations, and a work team with members from Policy, Systems Operations, Field Services, and our SeniorCare office are meeting to make the needed changes and to ensure seniors receive this assistance without interruption.
Options are being explored to continue supports for low-income seniors and it is possible that GRA senior assistance benefits may be available beyond July. We will keep you posted as plans develop. In the interim, please let seniors know that they will receive benefits for the month of July.
Here is the Governor Palin’s press release that was issued Wednesday afternoon. I am sorry we were not able to get this news to you before now. We have been inundated with calls from the media and from seniors, and have been devoting a significant amount of time to getting critical tasks underway to ensure seniors will be able to receive this assistance at the beginning of July.
Thank you for the work you do everyday in providing assistance to Alaska’s most needy seniors.
I hope you all have good weekend.
Ellie