The Bowling Green chapter of AARP is joining a statewide lobbying campaign Thursday in Frankfort to push for issues regarding senior citizens in what’s being called AARP Kentucky Day.

Pearl Taylor, legislative chair with the Bowling Green AARP, said it’s an important time for the organization as the General Assembly meets at the Capitol.

“What we want to do is to be sure and let people know this is for their parents and senior citizens in nursing homes,” Taylor said. “We need to get stuff passed. You would want that for your parents, and I would want this for my parents.”

The organization’s top priority is House Bill 12, which would cap the cost-sharing requirements for prescription insulin at $100 per 30-day supply. The bill passed the House unanimously Wednesday and now heads to the Senate. The cap would apply to people with commercial health insurance plans.

“Prescription drugs are getting so bad that some senior citizens can’t even afford them,” Taylor said.

AARP Kentucky State President Charlotte Whittaker addressed the General Assembly on Feb. 13 about the importance of HB12.

“In Kentucky, diagnosed diabetes costs $5.2 billion a year, according to the American Diabetes Association,” she said in her testimony. “Kentuckians located in Appalachia also face a higher diabetic mortality rate with 32 percent higher than the national rate, according to the Appalachian Regional Commission. … No Kentuckian should be forced to choose between putting food on the table or buying a lifesaving medication.”

HB 12’s supporters include Rep. Steve Sheldon, R-Bowling Green, and Rep. Patti Minter, D-Bowling Green.

“It is an excellent example of what this chamber can do when we are at our very best, when we work together across the aisle … to make sure that no one will have to lose limbs, lose kidneys, lose their lives to this disease,” Minter said.

About 500,000 Kentuckians are diagnosed with diabetes. Gov. Andy Beshear has referred to diabetes as a health epidemic in urging lawmakers to send him the measure.

“Health care is a human right, but tragically right now there are far too many Kentuckians who are at risk of losing their life or permanently damaging their health because they cannot afford their daily supply of insulin,” the governor said.

The AARP’s agenda also includes legislation that would pursue legislative solutions that support family caregivers and legislation that would improve Kentucky’s long-term care system.

Taylor said House Bill 123 would be the target for this goal.

“They are talking about sick leave and long-term service, personal care, adult day care and caregivers,” Taylor said. “This is something that is going to be all-inclusive in this bill.”

Financial resilience is another priority of AARP Kentucky Day with an objective to defend against regressive tax policies and tax proposals that “unfairly shift tax burdens to low income taxpayers and retirees,” according to the AARP website.

Taylor said the focus will be on House Bill 212. It is related to the individual income tax and would increase the pension income exclusion from $31,110 to $41,110.

Preventing elder abuse and financial exploitation is another priority for AARP, according to Taylor.

The AARP will push for legislation that helps provide legal assistance for those who have experienced fraud and elderly abuse, she said.

“We are nonpartisan,” Taylor said. “We don’t take sides, we just want what is in the best interest of the senior citizens.”

– The Associated Press contributed to this report.