Low-Income Help

I​​​f you have low income and assets, you may qualify for help with some of your Medicare costs.

Medi-Cal

California’s Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal, pays for certain care Medicare doesn’t, and helps pay the cost-sharing for the benefits and services Medicare does cover.

Medi-Cal pays for “medically necessary” health care such as:

• Physician visits

• X-ray and laboratory tests

• Hospital and nursing-home care

• Home health care

• Certain prescription drugs excluded as a Medicare Part D benefit

• Prosthetic and orthopedic devices

• Hearing aids

• Medical equipment

• Ambulance services

• Hospicecare

• Dental services through its Denti-Cal program

​A HICAP counselor can help you determine if you qualify for Medi-Cal benefits.

Medicare Savings Programs

Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) also pay for some of Medicare’s cost-sharing, such as the Medicare Part B monthly premium. Extra help with Medicare’s Part D prescription drug costs is available as well.

Medicare offers several Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) that assist people with low income and assets: Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB), Qualified Individual (QI) and Qualified Disabled Working Individual (QDWI). California also offers the 250% California Working Disabled (CWD) program.

You must meet certain income and asset limits to qualify for these programs, which are administered by Medi-Cal (the California health program known as Medicaid in other states).

A HICAP counselor can help you determine if you are eligible for one of these programs.

Part D Extra Help

You may also qualify for the Medicare Part D Extra Help/Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) Program

The Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program helps pay for a portion of Part D prescription drug plan costs, including Part D premiums, deductibles and copayments. Depending on your income and assets, you may qualify for the full subsidy or a partial subsidy. 

A HICAP counselor can help you determine if you are eligible and show you how to apply.

OPEN ENROLLMENT for Medicare Part D plans is from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 each year.