2024: Help with Medicare Costs

People with income below certain levels can get help with their drug costs, their Medicare Part B premium, and even their co-pays for medical care.

Medicare help is provided by your state under the federally-funded Medicare Savings Program.

You apply for this Medicare help through your state Medicaid office and it can be done on the phone.

Call me for help getting enrolled in the Medicare Savings Program.

Here are the 2023 income limits for the Medicare Savings Program:

The dollar amounts to qualify for help change each year.

QUALIFIED INDIVIDUAL (QI)

• Individual monthly income limit:
• $1,715  or less
• Married couple monthly income limit
• $2,320  or less

FOR QI: The state will pay a person’s Part B premium.

QUALIFIED MEDICARE BENEFICIARY (QMB)

• Individual monthly income limit
• $1,275  or less
• Married couple monthly income limit
• $1,724 or less

FOR QMB: The state will pay:
Part A premiums
Part B premiums
Deductibles, coinsurance, and co-payments for medical care

In Arizona, people who qualify for QMB help are assigned a health plan by AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid – pronounced “access”). That health plan will pay a person’s co-pays for doctor visits, labs, and hospital stays and other medical services.

People who qualify for QMB help can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that provides benefits that are not normally covered by Medicare such as, dental, hearing aids, glasses, and even a free gym membership.

For information on how to get this help, or how to get a “dual eligible” Medicare Advantage plan, call or email me.  520-820-8639

EXTRA HELP in 2024 for drug costs

If your monthly income is below $1,902 (for a single person) or $2,575 for a couple, you may be eligible for Extra Help – a federal program that helps you pay for some or most of the cost of prescription drugs. 

If you apply for this Extra Help through the Social Security (ssa.gov) website, there are resource limits to qualify for getting this help. You can’t have more than $15,720 in total savings, CDs, or checking accounts as a single person. For a couple, the asset limit is $31,360.

If you apply for the Medicare Savings Program through your state, the state will get your signed up for Extra Help with your prescription costs.