📋 Can You Get Help Paying for Medicare Costs? (AARP Article/updated)

[SpringIsHereVA]

FROM THE ARTICLE.

Get Help Paying for Medicare Premiums, Deductibles, Copays.

Find out if you qualify for a federal or state financial assistance program or prescription discounts.

By Kim Lankford, AARP. Reviewed by Leigh Purvis, MPA.

Published January 28, 2022.

➡️[*** Updated June 30, 2025.

Medicare covers most of your health care expenses after you turn 65, but it isn’t free.

You’ll still have out-of-pocket costs for Medicare Part A hospitalization, Part B doctor and outpatient services, and Part D prescription coverage. If you’re part of a Medicare Advantage plan, also known as Part C, you’ll have cost sharing, too.

USE LINK BELOW TO READ THE ARTICLE.

https://www.aarp.org/medicare/financial-assistance/

[GailL1]

per the link - To be eligible, your income — and sometimes your savings — must be below certain limits.

All Correct - now is it fair?  Only the tax paying citizens of the state involved can make the call as to whether or not certain resources of a beneficiary should be counted or not.  

Don't get me wrong, these programs are great for those that need the help but if a person has assets and resources they can use, I believe those should be used 1st before public help steps in - and not just for these programs either - many others.

For anybody that reads this article, what's your take?

[SpringIsHereVA]

@GailL1 , I get Extra Help here in Virginia that pays my Medicare Part B for me. I qualified due to my Retirement Social Security being my ONLY income source at age 67. As far as this being fair, yes it is fair. When & if I can find a RETIREMENT JOB that will work with my "need" to pee very often & my 2006 Hyundai Elantra [has her moments as she ages as I do] = I will be happy to get off what you call Government Help.

I am VERY GRATEFUL to Virginia for "signing" me up for this program. I didnot!!!

To any Senior out there, NEVER let anyone "shame" you because you are in the Extra Help Program.

Some folks, NOT all - on THIS SITE tend to "judge" folks because they are financially WELL OFF in retirement.

HAPPY 4th everyone when it gets here!!!

[GailL1]

A bit more - many states only count retirement accounts - IRA's / 401Ks etc. after pay outs start in their eligibility requirements.  But what about a ROTH IRA where there is no requirement to ever make a draw on it - there could be a ton of money sitting there in a ROTH IRA getting bigger and bigger - with the taxes already paid.  But this amount is not counted in many states for eligibility for a Medicare Savings Program.

[GailL1]

I said nothing about you or anybody else - I am talking about various STATES and their rules of eligibility.  Virginia has a resource limit - some states do NOT - that's my point.  

Like in one state, it says

4. What is the eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP)?

There are two levels to qualify for MSP.

1. Qualifying Individual (QI) - The 2024 monthly income levels for QI are $2,355 for single, and $3,189 for couples, with no asset limit.
2. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) - The 2024 monthly income for QMB is $1,752 for single, and $2,371 for couples, with no asset limit.

Would you as a tax paying citizen in such a state as this have a problem paying for the Part B premiums (and sometimes Part A premiums) + perhaps some other cost for an individual or couple that may have several hundreds of thousands in assets to which they might not be drawing a benefit now or maybe ever.

Would it not be fairer to count the resources and assets in this case ?  They can use those assets until they are used up and then get the MSP benefits if they need it.