From AARP comes the reminder that Uncle Sam provides low-cost prescription drug coverage for Medicare beneficiaries with limited incomes--but many don't apply.
Under the Part D Extra Help program, you pay zero or reduced premiums and deductibles and low copayments for prescriptions. You qualify if your annual income is no more than $16,335 (if single) or $22,065 (if married) and your resources are worth no more than $12,640 or $25,260 (married). Your home, cars, and personal possessions don't count as resources.
The good news is that rules have changed. Therefore, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Don Berwick advises, "So if you were turned down for Extra Help in the past due to income or resource levels, you should reapply."
To apply, call 1-800-772-1213, or go to ssa.gov/pubs/10525.html
Another great source of information is NeedyMeds, a nonprofit organization founded in 1997 as a resource for people who need help with the cost of medicine. The organization has information on more than 2,400 programs! You can find assistance, at no cost to you.
NeedyMeds offers...patient assistance programs: programs which provide medicine at no cost or at a discount to people who qualify; free/low cost clinics: a data base of clinics that offer health care at no cost, for a small fee, or on a sliding scale; disease-based assistance: programs that help with costs of specific diseases and conditions, including some insurance co-pays and premiums; state programs: programs offering various types of assistance with health care costs for residents of specific states; the free NeedyMeds Drug Discount Card: savings up to 75 percent on prescriptions, no fees or registration, no financial, age or residency restrictions; can't be used with insurance. Go to www.needymeds.org.
NeedyMeds gives these tips for applying to Patient Assistance Programs: •Always call the program if you have questions. •Look for programs for all your medications. •Programs change. Check back regularly. •Don't leave blank spaces on the application. Write N/A if the question doesn't apply to you.
Other possible sources of help...Talk to your doctor if you can't afford your medication. A less expensive medication or a different one may be available on a program that will work for you. Also, check with the pharmaceutical company that manufacturers your medication. Most have programs to assist patients who can't afford their medications. However, companies can't provide this service if the drug is being used off-label for your condition.
