Medicaid & Extra Help
Worried About Paying Your Medicare Premiums/Deductibles? Medicaid Or Extra Help May Be Right For You
What Is Medicaid?
Highlights – Medicaid
• Medicaid Is A State & Federal Joint Program. As A Result, Benefits Vary By State.
• You Should Apply For Medicaid Through Your State Agency.
• This Program Is Designed To Help You Cover Your Original Medicare Costs. (Parts A & B)
• Sometimes Medicaid Will Help Pay For Long Term Care.
Jeff David explains Medicaid
Extra Help
• Extra Help Is A Federal Program That Is Designed To Cover Charges For Your Prescription Drug Coverage.
• See If You Qualify & Apply By Clicking The Button Below! The Table To The Right Is To Give You An Idea If You Might Qualify.
Income Requirements for Extra Help
For full extra help, you’ll need to make less than $20,625 in income & have resources totaling less than the amount of $8,400.
If you’re married the amounts are $27,705 for income and $12,600 for resources.
For partial extra help, the numbers change a bit. If you’re single the income limit is $20,625 and the resource limit is $14,010.
If you are married the income limit is $27,705 and the resource limit is $27,950.
Medicaid & Extra Help Details
It is important to know that Medicaid is a join Federal & State Program. The goal of this program is to:
• Assist those with lower income and resources to cover their medical costs.
• Offer some benefits that Original Medicare Does Not Cover. This mainly applies to long term care benefits.
Each state has it’s own program. As a result the benefits & title vary by state. However, you can scroll up and see where to apply on this page.
You can (and will) have Medicaid and Medicare coverage at the same time. Just know, Medicare always pays first if both cover the same service.
If you qualify for Medicaid, you will automatically qualify for Extra Help. As a result, you will get your prescription coverage through part D if you use this service.
Your qualifications for this service may vary based on certain factors. Examples include:
• If you live with your spouse
• How many dependents you have
• Where you live
As mentioned in the above table, you need to be below a certain income level & resource level to qualify. What is not mentioned is what resources are. Resources are…
• Money, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and IRA’s. They are essentially passive income tools.
• These DO NOT include your home, your car, household items, burial plot, burial expenses (up to $1500/person), or life insurance policies.
When Can I Enroll Or Change Plans?
• If you newly get, lose, or have a change in your Extra Help (or Medicaid) status, you will be able to change your plan.
• If you already have Extra Help (or Medicaid) you’ll be able to switch once per period during one of the following periods: January-March, April-June, July-September.
Once you switch your new coverage will begin on the first day of the next month.
You automatically qualify if…
• You have full Medicaid coverage
• You get help from your state Medicaid program paying your Part B premiums (in a Medicare savings program)
• You get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits
Need To Know Tips:
• You need to be enrolled in a Medicare Drug Plan to use this assistance.
• If you sign up or auto qualify Medicare may auto-enroll you into a plan. If so, you’ll be notified by letter & have a special enrollment.
• period so you have an opportunity to change plans.
• If you live in certain institutions (like a nursing home) you pay nothing for your prescription drugs.
• Visit Medicare.gov to learn more about your particular situation.