Washington, DC – Applying for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program at the Department of Human Services (DHS) Income Maintenance Administration (IMA), rather than through the Social Security Administration, will provide extra help to the District’s low-income senior citizens and residents with disabilities purchasing prescription drugs through the new Medicare Part D prescription drug insurance program. IMA encourages Medicare recipients to select a prescription drug plan when the enrollment period begins on November 15th.
IMA urges District senior citizens and persons with disabilities with Medicare to apply for the 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 eligible for QMB are automatically eligible for help to pay 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,” said IMA Administrator Kate Jesberg. “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.”
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.
To find out how to get extra help paying for Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage and the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary Program, District residents should contact IMA at (202) 724-5506. 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.