THE REVERE ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2024 Page 11 Revere voters cast their ballot on Primary Day By Tara Vocino V oters cast their ballots at the polls on Tuesday at Revere High School for the Presidential Primary and state committees. Shown from left to right: Chris, Jack and Greg Gennaco voted for President Joseph Biden. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) Joann Cummings voted for President Joseph Biden in support of the Democratic party. Barbara Teixeira said she voted Republican because the world is falling apart. How to Get ‘Extra Help’ Paying for Prescriptions Dear Savvy Senior, Does Medicare off er any fi nancial assistance programs to help seniors with their medication costs? I recently enrolled in a Medicare drug plan, but I take some expensive medications that have high out-of-pocket costs and need some help. Living on a Shoestring Dear Living, Yes, there’s a low-income subsidy program called ‘Extra Help’ that assists Medicare benefi ciaries on a tight budget by paying for their monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments related to their Medicare (Part D) prescription drug coverage. And, thanks to the Infl ation Reduction Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law in late 2022, this program has expanded and gotten easier to qualify for in 2024. Even if you’ve applied and didn’t qualify before, you may be eligible now. The Extra Help benefi t is estimated to be worth about $5,300 per year. Currently over 13 million people are receiving this subsidy, but there’s around 3 million more who may qualify for it but don’t realize it. The amount of fi nancial assistance you would receive depends on your income and assets. If you qualify, you’ll pay no premium or deductible (unless receiving a partial subsidy), and no more than $4.50 for each generic drug or $11.20 for each brand-name drug your plan covers in 2024. To get the subsidy, your resources must be limited to $17,220 or $34,360 for married couples living together. Bank accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and IRAs count as assets, but your home, vehicle, personal belongings, life insurance and burial plots do not. Also, your annual income must be limited to $22,590 for an individual or $30,660 for married couples. If you support a family member who lives with you, or you live in Alaska or Hawaii, your income can be higher. In addition, the government won’t count any money if you receive help for household expenses like food, rent, mortgage payments, utilities and property taxes. How to Apply There are three ways to see if you qualify and apply for Extra Help: online at SSA.gov/medicare/part-d-extra-help; by calling Social Security at 800-7721213; or by visiting your local Social Security offi ce. The application form is easy to complete, but you will need your Social Security number and information about your bank balances, pensions and investments. Social Security will review your application and send you a letter within a few weeks letting you know whether you qualify. If you don’t qualify for Extra Help, you may still be able to get help from a state pharmacy assistance program or a patient assistance program. Visit NeedyMeds.org to search for these programs. Other Medicare Assistance If you’re eligible for Extra Help, you may also qualify for help with your other Medicare expenses through your state’s Medicare Savings Program. State Medicaid programs partner with the federal government, so income and asset qualifi cations vary depending on where you live. Medicare Savings Programs will pay your entire Medicare Part B premium each month. And in some cases, they may also pay your Medicare deductibles, coinsurance and copayments, depending on your income level. To fi nd out if you qualify, contact your state Medicaid offi ce. You can also get help through your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free Medicare counseling in person or over the phone. Visit ShipHelp.org or call 877-839-2675 to locate a counselor in your area. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Paul Buckley voted to reelect former President Donald Trump at Revere High School on Tuesday. Republican State Committee member Paul Ronukaitus, who is shown campaigning with Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto, said he cast his ballot for Trump because he’s a Second Amendment supporter and he controlled the border during his term. REVERETV | FROM Page 2 girls’ season, and the boys’ season, replaying most nights on RevereTV through March. The RevereTV Community Channel is channels 8 and 1072 for Comcast subscribers and 3 and 614 on RCN. RTV GOV has a solid lineup of meetings scheduled in rotation this week. These meetings include the latest Zoning Sub-Committee meetings, Revere City Council, License Commission, Board of Health meeting, School Committee and last week’s Revere High School Building Committee meeting. Most meetings play live on RTV GOV and YouTube and then replay for the following few weeks. RTV GOV is channel 9 on Comcast and channels 13 and 613 for RCN subscribers. You must be a cable subscriber in Revere to watch all RTV channels on television. Otherwise, watch RevereTV programming on YouTube at your convenience.
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