Help Available To Pay Costs Of Medicare’s
New Prescription Drug Program—Act Now! 2006

SSA Publication No. 05-10129, February 2006, ICN 480069 (En Español) (View bilingual .pdf)

On January 1, 2006, a new program began providing prescription drug coverage under Medicare. Now, a Medicare prescription drug plan may be an even better deal for you if you are a Medicare beneficiary with limited income and resources. You may qualify for extra help that will make your low monthly premiums, deductibles and co-payments even lower, much lower. To get the most from this special benefit, act now.

What is the extra help?

• If your annual income is below $14,700 for an individual ($19,800 for a married couple living together), you may not have to pay monthly premiums or deductibles, and you could pay as little as $2 for your co-payments.

  • Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help with your monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. For example, your income may be higher and you possibly could get extra help if you or your spouse:

  —Support other family members who live with you;

  —Have earnings from work; or

  —Live in Alaska or Hawaii.

  • To qualify, your resources must be limited to $10,000 for an individual ($20,000 for a married couple living together). These resource limits can be slightly higher (an additional $1,500 per person) if you will use some of your money for burial expenses. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. We do not count your house and car as resources.

What should I do next?

If you are not getting the extra help automatically, it is easy to apply. Here’s how:

• Get an application or apply over the phone by calling Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or
  
• Apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov.

After you apply, Social Security will review your application and send you a letter to let you know if you qualify for the extra help. You will need to enroll in a Medicare-approved prescription drug plan to get this extra help.

How can I get more information?

For more information about getting help with your prescription drug costs, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

To learn more about the Medicare prescription drug plans, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048) or visit www.medicare.gov.