Get help with Medicare costs

||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER |||

Are you having trouble affording the medical care you need? If you are on Medicare, three programs can help: Medicaid, the Medicare Savings Program, and the Low Income Subsidy Program.

If your monthly income is less than $1,904 ($2,576 for a couple), you may qualify for assistance from one or more of these programs. If you or your spouse are still working, your income can be even higher and you might still qualify for help since these programs generally disregard 50% of income earned from working, including self-employment income.

These programs can reduce your Part D premiums, lower your copays for prescription medications, cover your Part B premium (and your Part A premium if you pay for it), waive any late enrollment penalties, and possibly cover your Medicare deductibles and copays.

SHIBA, sponsored by Orcas Senior Center, is a free, unbiased, and confidential informational service offered through the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner. Contact the Orcas Island SHIBA office at 360-376-5892 to schedule a counseling session.