Health Insurance Counsling
Programs funded through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, New York State, and Lewis County.
The Lewis County Office for the Aging provides free, confidential, and unbiased health insurance counseling services to all Medicare beneficiaries and their families as part of their Health Insurance Information, Counseling, and Assistance Program (HIICAP). Please call the Lewis County Office for the Aging at 315-376-5313 for more information on health insurance counseling. Staff are available to counsel and educate on the following:
- Introduction to Medicare
- Medicare A and B
- Medigap (Supplemental) Plans
- Medicare Advantage Plans (Part C)
- Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage (Part D)
- Employer/Retiree Plans
- Medicare Preventive and Screening Services
- Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC)
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income/Supplemental Security Disability
- Medicare Fraud and Abuse
- Durable Medical Equipment
We also assist beneficiaries in applying for benefit programs for which they may be eligible. Two of these benefit programs are listed below:
Medicare Savings Program Eligibility guidelines Household of one—$1,377 per month Household of two—$1,847 per month No resource test What it Pays Pays the Medicare Part B premium of $134 per month Reduces copays for prescriptions to as low as $3.30 for generic drugs and $8.25 for brand drugs | Extra Help through the Social Security Administration (SSA) Eligibility guidelines Household of one— $1,520 per month Household of two—$2,028 per month Resource limit of $13,820 for an individual and $27,600 for a couple What it Pays Reduces monthly Part D plan premium, possibly even eliminating Reduces copays for prescriptions to as low as $3.30 for generic drugs and $8.25 for brand drugs |
If you believe that you may be eligible for either of these benefit programs, contact a HIICAP counselor at 376-5313. Arrangements will be made to complete an application.
The Elderly Pharmaceutical Insurance Coverage (EPIC) program is a New York State program for seniors administered by the Department of Health. It helps more than 327,000 income-eligible seniors aged 65 and older to supplement their out-of-pocket Medicare Part D drug plan costs. Seniors can apply for EPIC at any time of the year and must be enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in a Medicare Part D drug plan to receive EPIC benefits and maintain coverage.