Letters Alert Eligible Medicare Beneficiaries to Missed Benefits

Medicare beneficiaries will soon be receiving a letter from the Social Security Administration (SSA) if they may be eligible for help with their out-of-pocket medical and drug expenses.   “These letters are not a scam.  They are an important notification that Medicare beneficiaries should review and consider.  NWMOAAA staff members can help determine if they’re eligible, apply, enroll, and even understand how to use their new benefits once they’ve been approved.”

The letters are sent annually to people with Medicare with limited incomes who could be eligible for, but are not enrolled in, a Medicare Savings Program, which helps with Medicare out-of-pocket costs; or Extra Help, which helps with the costs of prescription drugs. 

Anyone who receives a letter, or who believes they or someone they know may be able to get help from these programs, should contact Northwest Missouri Area Agency on Aging at 888-844-5626 or 726-3800 to make an appointment for assistance.  NWMOAAA encourages beneficiaries who receive these letters to take action to learn more about the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) and Extra Help or other programs they may be eligible for.

In addition, Medicare beneficiaries can go online to see if they are eligible for MSPs, Extra Help and other benefits that can supplement their monthly budget.  The National Council on Aging’s BenefitsCheckUp® is a free, confidential screening tool that can connect older and adults and younger adults with disabilities to these programs. Learn more at BenefitsCheckUp.org.