50+ Lifestyles

Get the Medicare Benefits You Deserve

By Peggy Dykes
Community Relations Director
Milestone’s Area Agency on Aging

Every dollar counts these days, sometimes you just need to know where to find them. If you have Medicare and you are struggling to pay for your prescriptions, medical co-pays, and deductibles, you may qualify for extra help.

The Low-Income Subsidy Medicare Extra Help Program helps Medicare beneficiaries who have limited income and assets with the costs of their prescription drugs. This program is also known as LIS, or the Part D Low-Income Subsidy. The Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) work together toprovide the benefit.

The Medicare Savings Program (MSP) is a federally funded program administered by each individual state. These programs are for people with limited income and resources and MSP help pay some or all their Medicare premiums, deductibles, copayments and coinsurance.

Milestones’ trained staff can help determine if you are eligible for these extra help Medicare programs. They can also connect you to other services and public benefits such as health care, medications, food assistance and utilities. Milestones helps seniors stay independent and in their homes by assisting individuals in meeting their long-term needs with options counseling and information assistance.

Milestones encourages seniors to stay healthy with an annual wellness visit from their health care provider. Medicare beneficiaries can receive an annual wellness visit, which includes a basic health risk assessment and provides personalized prevention plan services. Preventive screenings, vaccinations, and other services no longer have a deductible or coinsurance if the doctor accepts an assignment. Some of them include mammograms, pelvic exams, prostate cancer screening, smoking cessation, flu & Hepatitis B shots plus many more. They also include programs for health monitoring/counseling and education to help you take care of your own health.

For more information about Medicare extra help programs or other community services, call Milestones at 855-410-6222 or email: info@milestonesaaa.org

Peggy Dykes is Community Relations Director at Milestones Area Agency on Aging. She can be reached at (563) 484-3147, ext. 212 or at pdykes@milestones aaa.org.