Hey Medicare Nation! It's October, and that means it's Medicare season! If you need help navigating the 2018 Medicare Advantage Plans or Medicare Prescription Drug Plans, I'm available to help! Go to my website...... www.TheMedicareNation.com  and click on the "contact" button. Send me a short email of how I can assist you and I'll get back to you with details.   How many of you receive excess letters, brochures and booklets from Medicare insurance companies? I'm sure most of you do. How many of you, in the past, have received an "official looking" postcard or letter, that you believed came from Medicare or the Social Security Administration...... only to find out it's a "scam?"  Again.....I'm certain many of you did. Right now, many of you or your parents, have or will be receiving an actual letter from the social security administration, that is real! I'm serious.....it's not a scam! That's right...... in a joint venture to promote the Medicare Savings Program and the Extra Help Program, the federal government has been sending letters to Medicare beneficiaries, who may qualify for one or both programs. The letter details the criteria to qualify for the programs, as well as how to apply for each program. So..... what is the Medicare Savings Program? The Medicare Savings Program is run by your State's Medicaid Program. The program assists those who can't afford Medicare premiums or Medicare deductibles, co-insurance and/or co-payments. To qualify for a Medicare Savings Program, your "monthly" income and total "resources" (like money in the bank, stocks, annuities etc.) must be at or below the amounts the program has set as "The Threshold."  The house you live in, as well as one car you own, does not count towards the "resource" level. Let's take a look at those "thresholds" now. Medicare Savings Program 2017 Monthly Income Limit: Single Person $1,377.00  Married (living together) $1,847.00   2017 Total "Resource" Limit: Single Person $7,390 Married (living together) $11,090 To apply for the Medicare Savings Program, go to the official Medicare website www.Medicare.gov/contacts or.... call Medicare and ask them for your State's Medicaid office telephone number (800-633-4227). Now....let's take a look at the "Extra Help" program. The "Extra Help" program is run by the Social Security Administration.  Extra Help is a Medicare program that may help you or your parents pay Medicare prescription drug (Part D) deductibles, premiums, co-insurance and/or co-payments. You must be enrolled in Medicare Part D to be considered for the Extra Help program. You don't have to file two separate applications to apply for the Extra Help and the Medicare Savings Program. When you apply for the Extra Help program, Social Security will send your information to your State Medicaid office, to see if you also qualify for the Medicare Savings Program. If you don't want to apply for the Medicare Savings Program, you will need to indicate that on the application or advise the State Medicaid representative that you do not want to apply for the Medicare Savings Program. Let's take a look at the criteria for the Extra Help program. Extra Help Program 2017 Monthly Income Limit: Single Person $1,507.50  Married (living together) $2,030.00   2017 Total "Resource" Limit: Single Person $13,820.00 Married (living together) $27,600.00 To Apply for the Extra Help program, go to the official social security website - www.socialsecurityl.gov/extrahelp or call Medicaid......800-772-1212 to ask for an application. You can also go to your local Social Security office and wait in line if you'd like...... go here to find your local office - www.socialsecurity.gov/locator That's it for today Nation! I"ll see you next week with more Medicare information and resources! Diane