There are a number of government programs that may help if you qualify.

1. Are you having trouble paying for health care costs even though you have Medicare?
   • Medicaid is a federal and state program that covers medical care for certain people with low incomes. All states provide Medicaid to certain groups of people, including older people, people with disabilities, children and pregnant women. People with Medicare can qualify for different kinds of Medicaid programs that help pay for basic medical and health care services as well as coverage of long-term care in nursing homes and in their communities. If you have Medicare and Medicaid, Medicare will still pay first for most of your medical services and Medicaid will pay second.

   Medicaid Eligibility Guidelines if You Are 65 or Older, Blind or Have a Disability

   To learn more about Medicaid for people with Medicare, including for people with long-term care needs, click on the links in the GO TO box.
   For more information about Medicaid and qualifying if your income is over the limit, click on the links in the GO TO box.

   To find out more about your local Medicaid programs, click on the link to your state’s Medicaid office in the LINKS box.

   • Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs), also known as Medicare Buy-In Programs or Medicare Premium Payment Programs, are programs run by state Medicaid offices. They offer a more limited form of Medicaid assistance to help pay for your Medicare costs, like copays and premiums.

     If you have limited income and assets, but your income or assets are too high to qualify for Medicaid, you may qualify for one of the MSPs. The financial guidelines vary from state to state. States use different rules to count your income and assets to determine if you meet these guidelines. Some states may not count assets at all. Even if your income or assets are above the guidelines, you may still qualify because some of your income and assets may not be counted.

     Medicare Savings Program Financial Eligibility Guidelines by State

     For more information on Medicare Savings Programs, click on the link in the GO TO box.
     For additional information about Medicare Savings Programs, contact your local Medicaid office. You can find the contact information for your local Medicaid office by clicking the link in the LINKS box.
   • Veterans Benefits

     If you qualify for health benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the VA system may provide you health care and prescription drugs at the lowest cost.

     For more information from the Department of Veterans Affairs on veterans benefits, click on the link in the LINKS box.
     To learn more about services that the Department of Veterans Affairs covers, click on the link in the GO TO box.
   • Low-cost health centers and clinics

   You will pay less for Medicare-covered services if you receive them through low-cost health centers and clinics in your state.

   Look for low cost medical services near you in the Primary Care Directory in the LINKS box. For additional low-cost medical services and options in your area, call your local State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Call 800-MEDICARE or click on the link in the LINKS box for your SHIP’s contact information.

2. Do you need help paying for prescription drugs?
• Extra Help is a federal program that helps you pay for some or most of the costs of Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D). You may be eligible for Extra Help if your monthly income is below $1,354 ($1,822 for couples) in 2009 and assets are below $12,510 ($25,010 for couples). If you have Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program or receive Supplemental Security Income, you will get Extra Help automatically, and you do not need to apply. You can apply for the Extra Help program through the Social Security Administration or your local Medicaid office.
  For more information on Extra Help, click on "Will I get help paying for my Medicare drug benefit if my income is low (Extra Help)?" in the GO TO box.
  To find government information about Extra Help, click on the link for Social Security in the LINKS box.
• State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAPs) are offered in some states to help pay for prescriptions. Most SPAPs have income guidelines. Many also require you to enroll in the Medicare prescription drug benefit (Part D) and to apply for Extra Help. SPAPs generally pay or help you pay the Medicare drug coverage premiums and cost-sharing, as well as costs in the coverage gap. Some may also pay for drugs that are excluded from Medicare drug coverage or are not included in your Medicare drug plan’s formulary.

State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAPs)

For more information about State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs, click on “Does my state have a program to help me with my prescription drug costs?” in the GO TO box.
For additional information, click on the link to your state’s SPAP information in the LINKS box.

Note: There are other programs that can help you pay for your prescriptions.

For more information about programs that can help with your prescription drug costs, click on the link in the GO TO box.

For more information about any of these programs, you can call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) or click on the link in the GO TO box.

For more information about hospitals and health centers that offer care at a reduced cost, click on the link in the GO TO box.