Senior News June, 2005 Vol. 24. No. 6

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Osteoporosis group celebrates five years

The consequences of physical inactivity

Prayer beads for spiritual health

Bereavement, grief, mourning, what's the difference?

Extra help with Medicare Drug Plans

New pain treatment offered

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Extra help with Medicare Drug Plans
by Anne Antoville

What is the Low Income Subsidy?

If you have Medicare, are single and your income is less than $14,355 a year with less than $10,000 in liquid assets, or if you are married and your income is less than $19,245 a year with less than $20,000 in liquid assets, you may be able to get extra help with the new Medicare Drug Plan costs through the Low Income Subsidy.

The Medicare Drug Plans will be available beginning in January 2006, and you will be able to sign up for a Medicare Drug Plan beginning in November 2005. You can sign up for the extra help for drug plan costs through the Low Income Subsidy beginning in June 2005.

Many people who have Medicare and have a limited income will receive an application for extra help with Medicare Drug Plan costs in the mail from the Social Security Administration. Applications will be mailed from June through August.

If you receive this application in the mail, and you want extra help with Medicare Drug Plan costs, you can complete the application and mail it to Social Security in the envelope that will be enclosed. This application cannot be copied; you must use the original.

What does the extra help cover?

The extra help is based on income levels. If you have a lower income, the extra help covers plan premiums, deduc-tibles and most of the co-pay costs. If you have a higher level income, the extra help covers most of the plan premium costs, most of the deductible costs and most of the co-pay costs.

What if I have Medi-Cal?

If you have Medi-Cal with No Share of Cost you do not need to apply for the extra help. You will be automatically enrolled. If you have Medi-Cal with a Share of Cost and you do not meet your share of cost, you will need to apply for the extra help if you would like to have it.

What if I already have drug coverage?

If you already have drug coverage, your current plan will notify you in September as to what your options are regarding Medicare Drug Plans. You should wait to hear from your current plan before applying for the extra help.

If I have questions, what do I do?
You can contact the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213 or TTY 800-325-0778 or www.socialsecurity.gov or you can contact the HICAP office at 443-9747 in Humboldt or 464-7876 in Del Norte.

Changes at HICAP
We say goodbye to Roy Schoenberg and wish him well. Lucy Ingrey from Caregiver Services will be joining HICAP as Humboldt HICAP Counselor and MMA Specialist.

Anne Antoville is manager of the Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program for Humboldt and Del Norte, a program of the Area Agency on Aging.