Government Benefits Information Available for Individuals 21 Years of Older
Benefits Specialist Available at One Sky
One Sky Community Services has a Benefits Specialist available to meet with you if you have specific questions or need help with managing your personal benefits. Please call (603) 436-6111 or 1-800-660-4103 to speak with this professional.
You may also find answers to your questions about benefits at:
Servicelink Resource Center
1-866-634-9412
Necessary Documents to Have with You When Applying for Benefits:
- State Driver's License or State Non-Driver's License
- Social Security Card
- Original Birth Certificate
- Medicaid/Medicare/Medicare D Cards
- Private Insurance Card
- Guardianship Documentation
- Past 4 weeks of Pay Stubs, if working
- Proof of all benefits that are already received
- Proof of applying at other agencies
- All up-to-date bank account statements in your name
- Life Insurance Policies
- Stocks
- Savings Bonds
- Utility Bills
- Medical Expenses
- Transportation Expenses
- All Medical Information History
- Name, address, phone #s of all your medical doctors, hospitals, agencies you are receiving services from (i.e.; Voc Rehab; Area Agencies; Schools, etc.)
Important Information About Medicare D Please be sure to check your current Medicare D plan. If you are Medicare and Medicaid eligible and are receiving the Low Income Subsidy (L.I.S.) you should not be paying a Medicare D premium with your current plan. Beginning January 2009, there will only be 5 plans that have contracted within the state of New Hampshire to continue offering L.I.S. plans.
To make the transition to these five plans easier, CMS is sending out Blue or Tan letters.
Blue Letters: If you have stayed in the Medicare D plan to which CMS originally assigned you in 2006, you should be receiving a blue colored letter from CMS. This letter will indicate that CMS has moved you into one of the plans that have continued to be L.I.S. with no premium. You need to do nothing; you are automatically re-assigned to a new plan. You will be receiving a new card and information from the new plan. The switch will be effective on January 1, 2009.
Tan Letters: If you chose your own Medicare D plan in 2006 or have switched plans since then, you should be receiving a "tan" colored letter from CMS. This letter directs you to choose from one of the 5 plans below if you wish to continue with no monthly premiums. If you are happy with your current plan and elect not to change plans, you will be responsible for a monthly premium.
These are the only plans on which you will NOT have to pay any additional premiums: » Company: SilverScript, Plan: SilverScript Value, Plan ID#: S5601-002
» Company: First Health, Plan: First Health Part D Premier, Plan ID#: S5768-005
» Company: United HealthCare, Plan: AARP MedicareRx Saver, Plan ID#: S5921-171
» Company: UniCare, Plan: MedicareRx Rewards Standard, Plan ID#: S5960-107
» Company: WellCare, Plan: WellCare Classic, Plan ID#: S5967-138
To change to one of these plans: go to www.Medicare.gov and enroll in one of the above plans.
You will continue to have your coverage through your current plan until December 31, 2008. Your new plan will take effect January 1, 2009.
Please note that all types of co-payments have increased a little: approximately $0.40 more than last year's co-payments.
Social Security Administration
www.ssa.gov
Located in Downtown Portsmouth at:
The Federal Building
80 Daniels Street
Portsmouth, NH 03801
603-433-0716
Hours 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Contact this office with questions on:
» SSI - Supplemental Security Income
» SSDI/SSA - Social Security Disability
» Medicare A & B & D
Department of Health & Human Services Division of Family Assistance
http://www.dhhs.nh.gov/dfa/index.htm
Located at:
50 International Drive
Portsmouth, NH 03801-2862
603-433-8300, choose Option #5
1-800-735-2964;1-800-821-0326
Hours 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Contact this office with questions on:
» Food Assistance
» Medicaid Insurance
» APTD - Aid to the Permanently & Totally Disabled
» ANB - Aid to the Needy Blind
» OAA - Old Age Assistance
» Quimby/Slimby - QMB or SLMB
» MEAD - Medicaid for Employed Adults with Disabilities
If you have any further questions or need assistance, you can contact the ServiceLink Resource Center at 1-866-634-9412 or your Service Coordinator at One Sky Community Services. (603) 436-6111 or 1-800-660-4103
RELATED LINKS
Benefits
Links to government benefits: www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Benefits.shtml
Benefits Check-Up
A nonprofit initiative led by the National Council on Aging which features a database of roughly 1,000 federal and state programs for the elderly and people with disabilities. Find and enroll in federal, state, local and private programs that help pay for prescription drugs, utility bills, meals, health care and other needs
www.benefitscheckup.org
What is a person receiving SSI or Medicaid allowed to own?
This frequently-asked question is addressed in depth by attorney John Kitchen in an article available on One Sky's website. To get to the library, scroll to the top of this page, click on 'Learn More' and choose 'Library'.