• Both Medicare and Medicaid
• Help from Medicaid paying your Medicare Part B premiums (belong to a Medicare Savings Program)
• Both Medicare and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

If I automatically qualify this year, will I qualify next year? 

Your income or resources may have changed since last year, so you may no longer automatically qualify for extra help. You will get a notice (on grey paper) in the mail by the end of September if you no longer automatically qualify.

If the amount of extra help you get is changing so that your copayment amounts change for 2009, you will get a notice (on orange paper) in the mail in early October with the new copayment amounts. If you don’t get a notice from Medicare, you will get the same level of extra help that you received for 2008. Your drug plan will still send you a letter letting you know what your copayments will be. 

The good news is, even if you get the notice on grey paper, you may still be able to save on your Medicare prescription drug coverage costs. You may still qualify for extra help. You need to apply to find out. If you don’t qualify, there are still other ways you may be able to save on drug costs.

If I no longer automatically qualify, what should I do?

You should apply for extra help if you have the following income and resources:

Your yearly income is limited to $15,600 for an individual or $21,000 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may qualify if you meet one of the following conditions:

–You or your spouse support other family members who live with you.

–You or your spouse have earnings from work.–You or your spouse live in Alaska or Hawaii.

--Your resources are limited to $11,990 for an individual or $23,970 for a married couple living together. Resources include your savings and stocks but not your home or car.

How do I apply for extra help?  Applying is easy. But apply as soon as possible to make sure that if you qualify, you get the extra help as of January 1, 2009. There is no cost to apply.

You can apply by visiting www.socialsecurity.gov.

To apply by telephone, get a paper application mailed to you, or make an appointment at your local Social Security office, call 1-800-772-1213. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.

To apply through your State Medical Assistance (Medicaid) office, visitwww.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) and say “Medicaid” for their telephone number. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048.