(Washington, DC) The Department of Human Services (DHS) Income Maintenance Administration (IMA) has taken steps to help thousands of low-income senior citizens and disabled District residents get Medicare insurance for prescription drugs. The IMA aligned complex eligibility rules for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program for low-income Medicare recipients to ensure that more low-income senior citizens and disabled residents receive a full subsidy to pay for prescription drugs through the new Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance program. 
 
IMA urges District senior citizens and disabled individuals with Medicare to apply for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program at IMA, which allows the District government to pay the cost of the new Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance coverage that will take effect January 1, 2006. Low-income seniors and disabled Medicare recipients who are eligible for QMB are automatically eligible for extra help paying for Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance.
 
“Applying for the QMB program through IMA is key because District residents eligible for QMB will be automatically eligible for the full Medicare Part D subsidy. IMA will pay the Medicare premiums of eligible residents each month,” said IMA Administrator Kate Jesberg.
 
District resident Medicare recipients must take two steps to ensure access to prescription drug coverage. First, they can apply for extra help paying for the Medicare Part D program. Enrollment began July 1, 2005. Individuals with a monthly income of less than $1,216, and couples with a monthly income of less than $1,624, will benefit from applying for this extra help through IMA rather than through the Social Security Administration. By applying at IMA, eligible low-income Medicare recipients can get extra help paying the costs associated with the new Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and IMA will pay Medicare premiums as well.
 
IMA has developed a customer-friendly way for low-income seniors and disabled individuals in the District to receive Medicare Part D benefits and other benefits administered through IMA, such as Food Stamps. By completing a single application, District residents can apply for Medicare Part D, Food Stamps, and the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program. 
 
“DHS’ Combined Application for IMA benefits such as the Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance, the QMB program, cash assistance and more is just one more example of how DHS uplifts the lives of low-income District residents, and in this case, senior citizens and persons with disabilities in particular,” said DHS Director Yvonne Gilchrist. “Low-income seniors and the disabled eligible for the QMB program will not have to pay a deductible for prescription drugs.”
 
Once enrolled in Medicare Part D, District seniors and disabled individuals should also select a prescription drug plan. Prescription drug plan selection begins in the fall. District seniors and the disabled must select a prescription drug plan by January 1, 2006 to make sure that they can get their prescriptions when the Medicare Part D benefit begins. IMA encourages Medicare recipients to select a prescription drug plan in November 2005. 
 
District residents wanting to know more about how to get extra help paying for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program should contact the Department of Human Services, Income Maintenance Administration (IMA) at (202) 724-5506. District residents needing help choosing a prescription drug plan can also call 1-800-MEDICARE or (202) 739-0668 to talk to a Medicare Insurance counselor.