National Council on the Aging CEO Urges Adult Children to Help Parents Save Thousands of Dollars Via Online 'BenefitsCheckUp'

National Council on the Aging CEO Urges Adult Children to Help Parents Save Thousands of Dollars Via Online 'BenefitsCheckUp'

- GAO Study Says More Than 40 Percent of Those Who Qualify for Benefits Have Not Enrolled -

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- With monthly Medicare Part B premiums rising about 17 percent this year, as many as 4.6 million low-income seniors and younger persons with disabilities who are eligible for Medicare pay more than they have to, according to the National Council on the Aging (NCOA).

A few minutes on the Internet can help solve that problem. NCOA's free, confidential and easy-to-use tool "BenefitsCheckUp(R)" (http://www.benefitscheckup.org/), can help Medicare beneficiaries find out if they qualify for savings programs which, depending upon income, will pay for Medicare premiums, deductibles and co-pays. A recent GAO study said that 43 percent of those who qualify for two of these Medicare Savings Programs (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) and Specified Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB)) have not enrolled in them. As of September 2003, only about 6.2 million were enrolled in those programs.

"With Medicare Part B premiums rising to $78.20 per month, the hospital deductible increasing to $912 and co-pays on the rise, some people with significant healthcare expenses and little income will have difficulty making ends meet," says NCOA President and CEO James Firman. "Adult children, other loved ones and friends can help seniors click through the online BenefitsCheckUp to determine savings in a number of assistance programs." Firman points out that, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation national survey of older Americans, only 31% of seniors age 65 and older have ever gone online, but that more than 70% of people 50-64 have done so.

Medicare Savings Programs help people with Medicare who do not qualify for Medicaid pay for some of the costs of Medicare. Income and asset limits vary in several states. There are three Medicare Savings Programs, each with different income, but similar asset limits (generally $4,000 if single and $6,000 if married):

* Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB): Pays for Medicare premiums,
deductibles and coinsurance. To qualify, monthly income must be below
$796 if single and $1,061 if married.

* Specified Low-income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB): Pays for Medicare's
Part B premium. Monthly income limits: $951 if single; $1,269 if
married.

* Qualifying Individual (QI-1) Program: Pays for Medicare's Part B
premium. Income limited: $1,068 monthly if single; $1,426 if married.



BenefitsCheckUp(R) is the first of its kind Web-based service designed to help Americans, their families, caregivers, and community organizations determine quickly what benefits they qualify for and how to claim them. It includes health care programs, prescription drug assistance, in-home services, financial assistance, legal services, housing assistance, property tax programs, nutrition programs, home energy assistance, volunteer and training opportunities and education programs.

BenefitsCheckUp has proven to be a valuable tool. Since the service was launched in June 2001, more than 1.4 million eligibility reports have been completed. In 2004, about 275,000 people used BenefitsCheckUp and nearly 29,000 (10%) were identified as eligible for Medicare Savings Programs. In fourth quarter 2004 alone, more than 70,000 people used the Web site and nearly 25,000 (35%) of them found that they were eligible for and not receiving major federal and state benefits.

In addition to BenefitsCheckUp as a resource, every state has a "State Health Insurance Assistance Program" (SHIP) that helps Medicare beneficiaries and their families make health insurance choices. Here is a link to those programs: SHIPS: http://hiicap.state.ny.us/home/link08.htm#telephone. Many of those who qualify for Medicare Savings Programs will also qualify for government or private company prescription programs that can substantially lower medication costs. To find out more and to enroll online, beneficiaries should go to the Access to Benefits Coalition (ABC) Web site at http://www.accesstobenefits.org/. There are 53 local ABCs across the country.

About NCOA

Founded in 1950, The National Council on the Aging is a national voluntary network of organizations and individuals dedicated to improving the health and independence of older persons; increasing their continuing contributions to communities, society, and future generations; and to building caring communities. For more information on NCOA, visit http://www.ncoa.org/.


Source: National Council on the Aging

CONTACT: Robert Deigh, +1-703-401-6339, rdeigh1@aol.com, for the
National Council on the Aging; or Scott Parkin of the National Council on the
Aging, +1-202-479-6975, Scott.Parkin@ncoa.org

Web site: http://www.ncoa.org/
http://www.benefitscheckup.org/
http://hiicap.state.ny.us/home/link08.htm#telephone
http://www.accesstobenefits.org/


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