Help for People with Limited Income
Here is information about who qualifies for help with the Medicare Part B premium ($96.40 per month) as well as the Part D premium and co-pays for drug costs.
What is all means is: If your income is less than $1,240 per month (for an individual) or $1,660 per month for a couple, you should apply for assistance.
There is an application form that goes to the State of Arizona AHCCCS office.
CALL 520-820-8639 FOR THIS APPLICATION
The text below comes from the Medicare website.
Medicare Savings Programs (for Part B premium):
1) Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMBs): States must be responsible for all Medicare cost-sharing for Medicare Beneficiaries with incomes up to 100% FPL and limited resources. For this group, the increase will also be to $903/month for an individual; $1,215/month for a couple.
2) Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiaries (SLMBs): States must pay the Medicare Part B premium for Medicare beneficiaries with incomes between 100% FPL and 120% FPL and limited resources. The new limit for this group will be $1,083/month for an individual; $1,457/month for a couple.
3) Qualified Individual (QI): States have a limited amount of money from which they must pay, on a first come, first served basis, the Medicare Part B premium for Medicare beneficiaries with incomes between 120% FPL and 135% FPL and limited resources. The limit for this group is $1,219/month for an individual; $1,640/month for a couple.
Qualified Disabled and Working Individual (QDWI): States must pay the Medicare Part A premium for certain working disabled Medicare beneficiaries who have exhausted their entitlement to premium-free Part A benefits and whose incomes do not exceed 200% FPL. The new limit for this group is $1,733.33/month ($20,800/year) for an individual; $2,333.33/month ($28,000/year) for a couple.
Add $20 to each of the monthly amounts listed above to determine the actual eligibility limit, since applicants are allowed a $20 disregard from any income before their income is measured against the poverty levels. Couples only get one $20 disregard.
Part D Help
The Part D Low-Income Subsidy pays your Part D premium and limits your co-payments for prescriptions to $5.60 (for even the most expensive brand Rx).
Full Subsidy: Medicare Part D provides a full drug subsidy with low co-payments to Medicare beneficiaries with incomes up to 135% FPL and limited resources. For those individuals, the 2009 eligibility limit is $1,218.38/month ($14,620.50/year) for an individual; $1,639.13/month ($19,669.50/year) for a couple.
Partial Subsidy: Medicare Part D provides a partial subsidy of premium, deductible and co-insurance to Medicare beneficiaries with incomes up to 150% FPL and limited (but higher than allowed for full subsidy) resources. The income limit for this group is $1,353.75/month ($16,245/year) for an individual; $1,821.25/month ($21,855/year) for a couple.
As with the Medicaid and MSP monthly amounts, add $20 to account for the disregard.
Full Medicaid (AHCCCS in Arizona):
Poverty Level Aged and Disabled (PLAD): States can choose to provide full Medicaid benefits to aged and disabled individuals with incomes up to 100% of the federal poverty level (FPL). For states choosing 100% FPL as their ceiling, eligibility levels for 2008 will be $903/month for an individual; to $1.1215/month for a couple.
Medicare Choices of Arizona is in Tucson and Sierra Vista. Call 520-820-8639.
I have a disabled 19 year old daughter you will receive Medicare benefits 9/1/10. She is currently on medicaid and I am trying to to get premiums paid for my daughter.