It's that time of year again.
"Open season" is right around the corner for the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, and finding the best plan to fit your needs is very important.
Newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries, and current beneficiaries who are considering changes to their Medicare Part D plan, should mark their calendars for Oct. 15. This year, the "open season" will run from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
The Medicare Part D prescription drug program is available to all Medicare beneficiaries to help with the costs of medications.
Joining a Medicare prescription drug plan is voluntary, and participants pay an additional monthly premium for the coverage.
While all Medicare beneficiaries can participate in the prescription drug program, some people with limited income and resources also are eligible for "Extra Help" to pay for monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. The Extra Help is worth about $4,000 a year.
To figure out whether you are eligible for the Extra Help, Social Security needs to know your income and the value of any savings, investments and real estate (other than the home you live in).
To qualify, you must be receiving Medicare, and your income must be less than $16,335 for an individual or $22,065 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments.
Some examples where your income may be higher include if you or your spouse support other family members who live with you or have earnings from work. Your resources must be under $12,640 for an individual or $25,260 for a married couple living together.
Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. We do not count your house or car as resources.
You can complete an easy-to-use online application for Extra Help at www.socialsecurity.gov.
Go to the Medicare tab on the top of the page. Then go to "Apply For Extra Help With Medicare Prescription Plan Costs."
To apply for the Extra Help by phone or have an application mailed to you, call Social Security at (800) 772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020).
If you are in the market for a new Part D plan, you can visit www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan to compare your current coverage with all of the options that are available in your area, and enroll in a new plan if you decide to make a change. Call (800) MEDICARE (633-4227) (TTY 877-486-2048) to find out more about your coverage options.
You should also review the Medicare & You 2012 handbook, which was recently sent to all Medicare recipients. If you are looking for some one-on-one help with Medicare issues, contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
You can reach the New York State SHIP at (800) 701-0501 or the Statewide Senior Action Council at (800) 333-4374 for additional guidance.
So this open season, after you have chosen the prescription drug plan that's right for you, go online or call us at (877) 628-6581 to find out if you qualify for the Extra Help through Social Security. The process is quick, easy, and could save you around $4,000 per year.
tracey L. weaver is district manager of the Oneonta office of the Social Security Administration. 'Senior Scene' columns can be found at www.thedailystar.com/seniorscene.
Senior scene
Social Security: 'Open season' for Medicare prescription drugs nears
- Senior scene
-
-
From the office: Celebrate spring by making sure all your plans are in place
By Nancy Dingee At last, I think we can finally say that spring is here!
-
Looking Back: Good times could be found on the beach yesterday and today
By Elaine Kniskern Sometimes we just need a change of pace and scenery with a little vacation or a simple getaway weekend.
-
Social Security: Initiatives help some who need benefits get them faster
By Tracey Weaver May is National ALS Awareness Month. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, more commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells and pathways in the brain and spinal cord.
-
As Time Goes By: Sing it with me: 'M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E' in 2012
By Henry Geerken I just love election years. Never have so many done so little for so much money. (Isn't it a shame that the gravy train passed us by?)
-
From the Office: Medicare encourages preventive health care with visits
Bt Wayne L. Shepard By the time we become eligible for Medicare, most of us have learned that change is constant and inevitable.
-
Senior Scene: Crash showed determination pays off for small-business owners
By Elaine Kniskern I guess we all have "tales to tell" in a lifetime _ that's if we dare too, for there can be legal repercussions. So I will be careful.
-
Social Security: Divorce doesn't necessarily mean end to ex's Social Security benefits
Here's a quiz for you.
-
As Time Goes By: Find a slogan and raise your taxes; you can pick a winner
By Henry Geerken Have you been paying attention to the "town meetings" that have been held in preparation for the big election less than a year from now?
-
From the Office: Much you need to know about Medicare can be found online
By Frances Wright Medicare and all its different parts can be extremely confusing.
-
Looking Back: Freedom to speak your mind important for children, too
By Elaine Kniskern We are so fortunate in this country with our many freedoms.
-
Social Security: Don't wait on paperwork to file for disability benefits
Disability is something most people do not like to think about. But if you're not able to work because you have a medical condition that is expected to last at least one year or result in death, you may be able to get Social Security disability benefits. Here's what you need to know.
-
As Time Goes By: The bug confused me, got me and refused to let me go
By Henry F. Geerken I got sick.
-
From the office: Needs are great, help is plentiful for a long time after a disaster
By Nancy Dingee During the last of week of August and first week of September, our picturesque rural county was ravaged by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.
-
Looking Back: Like today, role models of yesteryear offered good, bad examples
By Elaine Kniskern Years ago there was an expression among the younger generation. I haven't heard it in many a year: The expression was about being a "party-pooper" and certainly no young person, or even the older folks, wanted to have that label. Perhaps another term that was used was a "wet-blanket." No popularity contest was won when a person was in those categories. and certainly no invites for social functions would be forth coming.
-
Social Security: It's not too late to sign up for Part B
By Tracey L. Weaver If you didn't sign up for Medicare Part B medical insurance when you first became eligible for Medicare, you now have an opportunity to apply -- but you only have a little over a month to get signed up.
-
As Time Goes By: For eons, inventors have found gold dealing with people's teeth
By Henry F. Geerken Picture if you will, way back in time, a mountainous cliff with openings called "caves." In one cave were a caveman and a cavewoman, (what else?) sitting by a fire eating chunks of meat.
-
From the Office: Take steps to make wintertime falls less likely
By Wayne Shepard Cold weather can be tough on every one, but it is particularly tough for the older population. The snow looks pretty, but winter can be a scary season due to increased chances of falling on snow or ice. But there are a few things you can do to help prevent falls besides being homebound or packing up and moving to warmer climate.
-
Looking Back: We got a chance to see the greener grass on the other side
By Elaine Kniskern People seem never to be satisfied with what they have in life. There is always better and bigger, or perhaps it's "the grass that looks greener on the other side of the fence."
-
Social Security: Make your New Year's resolutions be about the future
Happy 2012 from Social Security! With the arrival of the new year, many people are putting together lists of goals and resolutions. Here are some new year's resolutions that you may find worth keeping:
-
As Time Goes By: Losing the keys to memory, one sip at a time
By Henry F. Geerken As you age, there will come an eventful day when you will forget something.
-
From the office: Celebrate spring by making sure all your plans are in place
