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ASSOCIATION OPPOSES AGE-BASED REGULATIONS

March 8, 2010 - Members are urged to contact their State Representative or Senator and urge that they oppose any attempt to impose driving license regulations that are age-biased. Senate Bill 2290 (See March 3 article), which was passed in the Senate in the last week, discriminates against over-age-75 drivers. The bill sets age-biased requirements plus an additional fee when renewing a license. The House version of the driving bill does not require new standards for over-age-75 drivers. Your message to legislators is simple: No discrimination against elderly drivers when renewing a driving license. Any changes in the law must include all drivers regardless of age.
The two competing versions of the bill are now before a House/Senate Conference Committee, where a compromise version is being negotiated.

SENATE PASSES ELDERLY DRIVER RESTRICTIONS

Bill Now in House/Senate Conference

MARCH 3, 2010: On Tuesday, the Mass State Senate passed its version of the so-called "Safe Driver" bill (S2290). The bill, which drew a spirited debate amongst Senators from both parties, contains language that would require drivers age 75 and older to undergo a cognitive and physical abilities test in order to renew their license.

A floor amendment (contained below) to S2290 places the administration of such a test in the hands of primary care physicians, rather than the Registry of Motor Vehicles, as had earlier been the plan. However, the RMV would help set the standards and specifics of the test.

CVS Caremark Awarded Pharmacy Contract

February 16, 2010: The state's Group Insurance Commission (GIC) has voted to contract with CVS Caremark as the agency's new pharmacy benefits manager. The three-year contact will take affect on July 1, 2010.

CVS Caremark replaces longtime pharmacy manager Express Scripts, which has held the GIC contract to provide drug benefits under the Indemnity, OME and other UniCare plans for the past eight years. GIC officials believe that CVS Caremark is better suited to provide pharmacy benefits management and enhanced services.

Focus Now Turns To General Court

NOVEMBER 2009: As part of its much anticipated report, the Special Pension Study Commission calls for an improved cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) law. Specifically, it proposes that the maximum pension amount (base), on which the COLA is calculated, be raised from the current $12,000 to $18,000 in annual increments of $1,000, subject to available funding and local acceptance.