Help With Medical Bills for Seniors
It can be difficult for a senior on a fixed budget to pay for expensive medical bills, even if you have health insurance. While it may seem time consuming to seek help and apply for assistance programs, the energy it takes to do so is well worth the effort once you begin to experience financial relief. If you are interested in applying for assistance programs related to medical expenses, you may find assistance at a local community senior center if the staff keeps personal information confidential.
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Supplemental Security Income
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Supplemental Security Income is a benefit offered by the Social Security Administration to low-income individuals who are over the age of 65, disabled or blind. SSI provides cash assistance to qualifying seniors. Additionally, the SSI program can help seniors sign up for food stamps and pay for expenses related to Medicare premiums and deductibles. You can apply for SSI online through the SSA.gov website, or by calling your local SSA office to request that an application be mailed to your home.
Medicaid
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Medicaid health insurance benefits are for seniors, the disabled and children. Seniors who meet the income guidelines may be eligible to receive Medicaid benefits through the state's Department of Health and Human Resources. If a senior qualifies for benefits, the Medicaid program may help pay for medical services you received three months prior to the effective date of your medical coverage. Upon request, a local DHHS office can mail you an application for Medicaid.
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Bill Negotiation
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A senior who does not have health insurance or meets the income guidelines for a health care provider maybe able to negotiate the cost of services received at a doctor's office. Alternatively, a doctor's office may have a patient assistance program for seniors with qualifying incomes. Health care providers who do offer medical bill assistance generally reduce the amount you owe or allows you to pay monthly installments with no to low interest rates. To learn more about programs a health care provider may offer, call the billing department of your doctor's office.
Patient Assistance Charities
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Charities designed to assist seniors could help cover the cost of medical bills. You can find information about such organizations at your community health clinic, county health department, place of worship or community senior center. A senior with a specific disease, such as cancer or Alzheimer's, may find medical bill assistance through a disease-specific organization. Doctor's offices, resource centers at hospitals and patient caseworkers can help seniors access disease-specific organizations.
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References
- Medline Plus; Financial Assistance; August 2010
- Social Security Administration; Supplemental Security Income (SSI); May 2011
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Medicaid Program -- General Information -- Overview; February 2011
- National Human Genome Research Institute; Financial Assistance Information; July 2010
Resources
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