News From South Carolina

AARP in Your State

November 2009

Break the cycle — A new law will clamp down on payday lending by limiting a consumer to one loan at a time and prohibiting the consumer from borrowing again the same day a loan is paid in full.

AARP South Carolina has long advocated stronger regulations on payday lenders because of exorbitant interest rates and the risk that borrowers could get trapped in a cycle of debt. Designed as a short-term crutch, the loans have led many borrowers into financial hot water, according to the nonprofit Center for Responsible Lending, which is pushing for a federal law to cap interest on such loans at 36 percent.

The South Carolina law passed in June, when legislators overrode a veto by Gov. Mark Sanford, R. It goes into effect Feb. 1, 2010.

October 2009

Disappearing act — Despite legislative action to restore benefits for people enrolled in the state's Gap Assistance Pharmacy Program for Seniors (GAPS), enrollees have seen no relief.

As reported in the July/August issue of the AARP Bulletin, lawmakers voted to restore funding for the program in the state budget that took effect July 1. According to the agency that administers the program, however, contracts with providers cannot be renegotiated until the start of a new calendar year. As a result, GAPS continues to cover only 10 percent of prescription drug costs for state residents who have fallen into the doughnut hole, rather than 90 percent as lawmakers intended.

Meanwhile, in a faltering economy, the state agency has suffered deep budget cuts, and the program's future is uncertain.

For updates, go to www.aarp.org/sc. To find lower-cost versions of brand-name drugs, visit www.aarp.org/doughnuthole.

September 2009

Dodging the budget ax — In a move supported by AARP, lawmakers recently approved $2.9 million in funding to help more than 5,000 older South Carolinians continue to receive services that allow them to live at home as they age.

State Sen. Thomas Alexander, R, championed the funding during a budget process that saw many programs slashed. As the tight economy continues to strain state budgets, AARP South Carolina is already speaking out to preserve that funding for fiscal year 2010-2011.

The funding allocated for home- and community-based services in fiscal year 2009-2010, which began July 1, covers personal care aides, home-delivered meals and other critical services. To learn more about AARP South Carolina's advocacy efforts, visit www.aarp.org/sc.