Do you qualify for extra help with Medicare drug plan plan costs?
There are many people enrolled in a Medicare Part D Plan that are unaware that they qualify for extra help with Medicare Part D costs. Knowing whether or not you qualify can give you peace of mind when shopping for and comparing Part D drug plans.
Qualifications for extra help with your Part D plan costs – updated for 2013
The Medicare extra help program helps pay your Medicare Part D plan costs. If you have a low income, few tangible resources and are Medicare eligible, you may qualify for extra help.
- Your annual income needs to be less than $16,755 if you are single or $22,695 if you are married and living with your spouse. You can qualify with more income if your spouse works, other people who live with you rely on you for support, or if you reside in Alaska or Hawaii.
- Your financial resources should not total more than $13,070 if you are single or $26,120 if you are married and living with your spouse. Financial resources include; money in a bank, stocks and bonds.
- Certain things that you own do not count as resources. You are allowed to exclude the value of your house, car, life insurance and up to $1,500 per person in burial expenses.
Qualifying for extra help means more benefits than just saving money 
Of course the main reason you would apply for extra help would be to save money on your Part D drug plan costs. But did you know there is another huge benefit to having extra help with Medicare drug costs?
Qualifying for extra help means that you are eligible for a low income subsidy (LIS). Being LIS eligible also qualifies you for a Special Enrollment Period. People with a Special Enrollment Period do not need to wait until the Annual Enrollment Period to make a change to their Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage Plan.
If you qualify for extra help with Medicare you can submit an application to change plans even if the Annual Enrollment Period is months away. This is a huge benefit to those who feel that they are enrolled in the wrong plan.
How to see if you qualify
To apply for extra help or to get additional information you will need to contact Social Security. You can visit them online or call 1-800-772-1213. TTY users may call 1-800-325-0778.
If you are not receiving your Low Income Subsidy
for Medicare Part D and qualify, you need to start the application process. Get started today so you can not only get help with Medicare drug plan costs but also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period should you wish to change plans.
I an disable and have Medicare A& B But,
I have no help with my medication and it is getting very hard to pay for, they take $500.00 out of my check a month now and it is very rough on me…I need any help, I can receive. Thank You, William Tarlton
William, As indicated in the article, you should contact your local Social Security office to see if you qualify for extra help.
No I did not enjoy your post. Your insensitivity to these poor, elderly, desperate people is astounding.
I’m only 54, not 80 or 90, and have been on Medicare since I was 35 due to cancer twice from age 25.
I can tell you from experience that more than likely they know as much or more about Medicare benefits than you do, and calling a Social Security Office will only lead to an appt., in which most of these people will not be able to attend, and will only lead to more frustration and helplessness.
Besides giving them advice on the dollar side of this,you would do well to give them more solid advice on how to get free medications from pharmaceuticals, and tell them to contact their own local missions groups or social welfare orgs in their area. They can start by contacting a local hospital.
Don’t make them sound so stupid. Every day you are growing older yourself. Don’t be so smug. Not only that, God forbid, on your way home, you could be hit by a drunk driver, and by nightfall could be in a nursing home being spoonfed because you can’t move anything but your eyeballs.
Sara, I’m sorry you didn’t find the article helpful. I think you are bringing a lot of negative emotional baggage to the conversation. Your last paragraph, although possible, saddens me for the pain and frustration you must be feeling. And I feel confident that most of the visitors to this site would be unhappy that you paint them with such a broad brush when you refer to them as poor, elderly, desperate people.
I have ga wellcare classic and have medicare and full Medicaid. I also have 100% low income subsidy. since I have full Medicaid, do u think I have the correct medicare part d drug coverage? and, the correct medicare-wellcare classic? and, my pain dr only takes medicare and even though I have a special payment plan with medicare-like when I go into his office and the office visit is $152, my co-pay is $14.66 per visit. is this good? im concerned, because my dr is wanting to surgically implant a Medtronic intertecal pain pump. I would have to pay the 20% co-pay and the pump refills are done in his office every month to 6 wks. im afraid that with just medicare it will be to expensive for me. or should I have the pain pump implanted somewhere that they take medicare and Medicaid and then only get the pump refills done in my drs office? im just confussed about all this and worried! I don’t want to lose my pain dr-been with him over 6 yrs and he knows all about me and my pain issues. what would u suggest? please email me with as much info as u have concerning these issues. thanks, wade kitchen.
Wade, This seems a little more complex than what I feel comfortable commenting on. It sounds as though you could incur a significant expense if you do not proceed in the best way. Consider speaking with a counselor with your local area Council on aging office. They can often help you sort though such situations.