Extra Help With Prescriptions and More For Low Income Medicare Beneficiaries
Many Medicare beneficiaries may not realize they may qualify for extra help with prescription costs, premiums, and deductibles if they have limited incomes and few resources. In fact, this is the Extra Help program. According the Extra Help Blog Post, it is estimated that 2 million beneficiaries may qualify for subsidies that average $4,000 a person, and they are not even aware of it!
Jonathan Blum, Acting Principal Deputy Administrator and Director of the Center for Medicare:
If you’ve ever found yourself skipping a day of your medication or cutting your pills in half to make your supply last a little longer, there’s help. Medicare has a special program called “Extra Help.” If you have limited income and resources you can sign up to get help paying things like monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription copayments in your Medicare drug plan. Did you know that the Extra Help program is estimated to be worth about $4,000 dollars per person, per year? Even if you’re not sure you’d qualify, it’s worth filling out an application to see.
Estimates show that about 2 million people with Medicare may be eligible for the Extra Help program but don’t even know it. Are you or a family member one of these people?
How can you find out if you qualify for Extra Help?
- Apply online, but do it quickly. This is the suggested method.
- Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. They will send you an application and instructions.
- Apply at your local social security office. You can find an office here: Social Security Office Locator.
If you are a Medicare beneficiary, or if you help care for one, why not find out if there is some Extra Help on the way?
What If You Don’t Qualify, Missed A Deadline, or Aren’t On Medicare?
You may also be interested in our article on affording prescriptions without health insurance in case you do not qualify or are not on Medicare.