Social Security and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are working together to get you Extra Help with your Medicare prescription drug plan costs. If you have limited resources and income, you may be able to get Extra Help with the costsmonthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. The Extra Help is estimated to be worth about $4,000 per year. To find out if you qualify, Social Security will need to know the value of your savings, investments, real estate (other than your home), and your income. If you are married and living with your spouse, we will need information about both of you.
- You must reside in one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia;
- Your resources must be limited to $13,070 for an individual or $26,120 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count your home, car, and any life insurance policy as resources; and
- Your annual income must be limited to $16,755 for an individual or $22,695 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help. Some examples where your income may be higher include if you or your spouse:
- Support other family members who live with them;
- Have earnings from work; or
- Live in Alaska or Hawaii.
It is easy to apply for Extra Help. Just complete Social Security's Application for Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (Form SSA-1020). Here's how:
- Apply online at www.socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp;
- Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to apply over the phone or to request an application; or
- Apply at their local Social Security office.
The worksheet below can help you decide if you are eligible and can assist you in completing the actual application for Extra Help. The worksheet is not an application.
To prepare:
- Identify the things you own by yourself, with your spouse or with someone else, but do not include your home, vehicles, burial plots, life insurance policies, or personal possessions.
- Review all your income.
- Gather your records in advance to save time.
What documents can help me prepare in advance?
Can State agencies help with my Medicare costs?
When you file your application for Extra Help, you also can start your application process for the Medicare Savings Programs— State programs that provide help with other Medicare costs. Social Security will send information to your State unless you tell us not to on the Extra Help application. Your State will contact you to help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program.
How can I get more information?
For more information about getting Extra Help with your Medicare prescription drug plan costs, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/extrahelp or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Social Security representatives are available to help you complete your application. The sooner you apply the sooner you will begin receiving benefits.
If you need information about Medicare Savings Programs, Medicare prescription drug plans, how to enroll in a plan, or to request a copy of the Medicare & You handbook, please visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048). Your State Health Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (SHIP) also can help answer Medicare questions. You can find your local SHIP contact information in the back of your Medicare handbook, online at www.medicare.gov under "Help & Support,'"or you can request it when you call.
We need to know information about your (and your spouse's, if you are married and living together) resources and income:
| Resources | Value |
| Bank accounts, including checking, savings, and certificates of deposit | $ |
| Stocks, bonds, savings bonds, mutual funds, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), or other investments | $ |
| Cash at home or anywhere else | $ |
| Any real estate other than your home | $ |
| Income | Monthly Amount |
| Social Security Benefits | $ |
| Railroad Retirement benefits | $ |
| Veterans benefits | $ |
| Other pensions or annuities | $ |
| Alimony | $ |
| Net rental income | $ |
| Workers' compensation | $ |
| Other income (e.g., private or State disability payments) | $ |
| Income | Annual Amount |
| Wages | $ |
| Net earnings from self-employment | $ |
You may choose to have someone help you when you do business with Social Security. We will work with that person, just as we would work with you.
Our website is a valuable resource for information about all of Social Security’s programs. There are a number of things you can do online.
In addition to using our website, you can call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. We treat all calls confidentially. We can answer specific questions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Generally, you’ll have a shorter wait time if you call during the week after Tuesday. We can provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day. (You can use our automated response system to tell us a new address or request a replacement Medicare card.) If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.
We also want to make sure you receive accurate and courteous service. That is why we have a second Social Security representative monitor some telephone calls.
