Pennsylvania lawmakers over the weekend approved a bill (SB 2011) that paves the way for the merger of two state prescription drug assistance plans with the Medicare drug benefit, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Under the bill, written by state Sen. Pat Vance (R), the PACE and PACENET programs -- plans that cover low-income Pennsylvanians 65 and older -- would pay certain costs for beneficiaries participating in the Medicare drug benefit and provide coverage under the so-called "doughnut hole" or gap in coverage in the Medicare drug benefit. Officials say beneficiaries would detect little if any change in their coverage, according to the Post-Gazette. The state could save almost $170 million annually because a portion of the cost would be covered by the federal plan, the Post-Gazette reports. The legislation would strengthen the state's authority to help PACE and PACENET beneficiaries enroll in the Medicare drug benefit and allow the state to pay monthly premiums for such beneficiaries' enrollment. Some members could qualify for federal subsidies that would cover the cost of joining Part D, slightly lowering their copays. Other members, however, could pay more through the Medicare drug benefit. PACE program director Tom Snedden said, "I think the majority will go along with what we're proposing." Gov. Ed Rendell (R) is expected to sign the legislation this week (Fahy, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 7/4).