What help is there if I'm living on Social Security alone?

What this means

• A Medicare Savings Program is the highest-value one to check first, because the Part B premium is taken out of your Social Security check before you ever see it. When the state pays it, your deposit goes up.
• Extra Help caps what you pay for covered prescriptions and comes automatically with most Medicare Savings Programs, so one application often opens both.
• Older adults are the group most likely to skip SNAP, often because they assume $23 a month is not worth it. Any amount opens the door to other discounts and there is a higher deduction for medical costs after age 60.

What to do first

1. Call your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor, free and unbiased, and ask them to check you for a Medicare Savings Program and Extra Help in one sitting.
2. Apply for Extra Help directly with Social Security, which takes about ten minutes and asks only about income and savings.
3. Apply for SNAP through your state and say that you are over 60, which unlocks a simpler application and a medical expense deduction.
4. If your monthly check is low, ask Social Security whether Supplemental Security Income could top it up.

What you'll need

• Your Social Security award letter or the amount of your monthly deposit
• Bank statements showing your savings
• Your Medicare card
• Records of out-of-pocket medical costs, which can raise your SNAP amount after 60

Where to go

• Find your free SHIP counselor: https://www.shiphelp.org/SHIPs/ — county-level offices that do not sell anything.
• Apply for Extra Help with Social Security: https://www.ssa.gov/medicare/part-d-extra-help, or call 1-800-772-1213.