Getting Help With Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs Information For Medicare Beneficiaries With Disabilities

This fact sheet is designed to provide you with background information concerning Social Security’s role in the Medicare Modernization Act (MMA). On January 1, 2006, a program began providing prescription drug coverage under Medicare. If you are disabled and have been receiving Social Security disability benefits for 24 months, have permanent kidney failure that requires maintenance dialysis or a kidney replacement, or have amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), you may be able to get help paying for monthly premiums, annual deductibles and co-payments under this prescription drug program. This help will not affect the receipt of your monthly disability payments.

Congress has given Social Security the responsibility to help the public understand that they may be eligible for extra help with their prescription drug costs under this program. Social Security’s role is to help people apply for this extra help and to process their applications. To qualify for extra help:

• Your annual income must be limited to $15,600 for an individual ($21,000 for a married couple living together).
  
  
  Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help with your monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments. Some examples where your income may be higher include if you or your spouse:

—Support other family members who live with you;

—Have earnings from work; or

—Live in Alaska or Hawaii; and

• Your resources must be limited to $11,990 for an individual ($23,970 for a married couple living together). Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. We do not count your house and car as resources.

If you are not getting the extra help automatically, it is easy to apply and you won’t have to travel to a Social Security field office. Just complete Social Security’s Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Here’s how:

• Apply online.
  
  
• Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to apply over the phone or request that an application be mailed to you; or
  
  
• Visit a local Social Security field office.

For more information about getting extra help with your Medicare prescription drug plan costs, visit www.socialsecurity.gov 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.

To learn more about the Medicare prescription drug plans and special enrollment periods, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048). Medicare also can tell you about agencies in your area that can help you with Medicare prescription drug plans.

[Back to top]