Silver Tips: Don't Qualify for Full Medicare? These Programs Can Help
Posted on: Sunday, 18 September 2005, 18:00 CDT
With so much of our attention is focused on the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, it is easy to forget about health-insurance paperwork.
But it's almost time for the new Medicare prescription drug coverage to take effect.
And it's the time to get the word out to as many Medicare beneficiaries as possible about the value of the different Medicare Savings Programs. There are three types:
* Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries or QMB
* Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary or SLMB
* Qualified Individuals or QI
These programs are intended to help defray out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries whose incomes and assets are limited but not low enough to qualify for full-scope Medicaid.
QMB pays for monthly Medicare premiums, deductibles and co-pays; SLMB and QI just pay for the Medicare Part B premium. But the cost of Part B premiums alone is $938 in 2005 (it goes up every year), so beneficiaries save at least that much.
There's another reason to get one of the Medicare Savings Programs: The new drug coverage program that goes into effect in January will have substantial out-of-pocket costs, but people who meet specified income and assets tests will get extra help that will cover most of those out-of-pocket costs. People who have QMB, SLMB or QI (as well as those with full-scope Medicaid) automatically qualify for the extra help and will have only small drug coverage co- pays.
You might qualify for extra help even if your income and assets maximums are high. Also, if you only want extra help, you can just apply for that.
But if you hate paperwork, the QMB/SLMB/QI application forms -- which are filed with state Income Support Division offices -- are shorter and simpler. And because successful applicants get both the QMB, SLMB or QI benefit plus the extra help, we strongly encourage everyone to apply as soon as possible (to get the extra help quicker).
Individuals with 2005 income less than $1,097 per month ($1,264 for couples) and assets less than $4,000 ($6,000 for couples) may qualify for QMB, SLMB or QI. Not all income and assets are counted (e.g, your home and a vehicle are not counted).
More information about QMB, SLMB and QI, the new drug-coverage plan, contact the Aging & Long Term Services Department's HIBAC (Health Insurance Benefits Assistance Counseling) benefits counseling program. Call (800) 432-2080. ISD office locations and numbers are printed in the government pages of your phone directory.
Silver Tips is written by Michael Parks of the Senior Citizens' Law Office in Albuquerque and distributed by the New Mexico Aging and Long-Term Services Department.
Source: The Santa Fe New Mexican
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