Extra help available for those on Medicare

BOISE — Beginning this week, Medicare beneficiaries will receive a letter from the Social Security Administration if they may be eligible for help with their out-of-pocket medical and drug expenses.

The Idaho Department of Insurance’s Senior Health Insurance Benefits Advisors, or SHIBA, program encourages beneficiaries who receive these letters to take action to learn more about the Medicare Savings Program and Extra Help.

The letters are sent annually to people with Medicare with limited incomes who could be eligible for, but are not enrolled in, an MSP, which helps with Medicare out-of-pocket costs; or Extra Help, which helps with the costs of prescription drugs.

“These letters are not a scam,” says SHIBA Supervisor Shannon Hohl. “They are an important notification that Medicare beneficiaries should review and consider. We can help determine if they are eligible, apply, enroll, and even understand how to use their new benefits once they have been approved.”

Anyone receiving a letter, or who believes they or a loved one may be able to get help from these programs, should contact SHIBA at (800) 247-4422 for free, unbiased assistance.

Medicare beneficiaries can also go online to see if they are eligible for MSPs, Extra Help and other benefits that can supplement their monthly budget. The National Council on Aging sponsors a free, confidential screening tool that can connect older and adults and younger adults with disabilities to these programs. Learn more at BenefitsCheckUp.org.