Appalachian Council of Governments

Benefits That May Be Available To You

Find, understand, and apply for programs in South Carolina that can:

Help Pay for Health Care and Prescription Drugs
Help with Your Home
Help Buying Nutritious Food
Help with Cash Assistance
Help with Other Assistance
Help with Veterans Administration Benefits (VA)

Paying for Health Care and Prescription Drugs

Medicare

Benefit: Health insurance that helps pay for preventive care, doctor visits, hospital stays and prescription drugs.

Who can apply: People who are 65 and older, and younger people with disabilities or kidney failure.

How to apply: Call the Social Security Administration toll-free at 1.800.772.1213 and tell the operator where you live. You can also log on to www.socialsecurity.gov and select “Questions about Medicare.” For information about the Medicare prescription drug coverage, call 1-800-MEDICARE 1-800-633-4227 or log on to www.medicare.gov

For additional assistance, contact the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1.800.434.4036 or 864.242.9733, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Medicare Savings Programs

Benefit: Pays for some of the costs of Medicare, including the Part B premium, deductibles, and co-payments. Amount received depends on income and assets.

Who can apply: People who get Medicare and earn around $1,226 per month for one person, or $1,655 per month for a married couple.

How to apply: Applications may be obtained online at www.scdhhs.gov. They are also available at the Department of Health and Human Services or from outstationed locations such as the County Health Departments, federally qualified rural health centers, most hospitals and the county Department of Social Services.

Applications may be filed in person or by mail. For more information, call toll-free at 1-888-549-0820.

Medicare Rx Extra Help

Benefit: Pays for the monthly fee and deductible for Medicare prescription drug coverage, and lowers prescription drug co-payments.

Who can apply: People who get Medicare; have combined savings, investments and real estate (other than home) not worth more than $12,510 if single, or $25,010 if married and living with spouse; and have a limited income ($1362 individual, $1839 couple income limits).

How to apply: Call the Social Security Administration toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 and ask for the Medicare Rx Extra Help application. You can also log on to www.socialsecurity.gov and click on the Medicare section.

For additional assistance, contact the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at 1.800.434.4036 or 864.242.9733, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday - Friday.

Medicaid

Benefit: Provides medical coverage for hospital care, health center and clinical services, doctor care, nurse care, lab and X-ray services and nursing homes.

Who can apply: People who are 65 or older, blind or have disabilities, few resources, or in some cases, high medical bills. To qualify, you must meet Medicaid income and asset limits. Income limits vary, depending on the size of your family and where you live. Income limits also vary based on the particular Medicaid program for which you qualify, so contact your state Medicaid office for more information.

How to apply: Get an application from the Department of Health and Human Services or from out-stationed locations such as the County Health Departments, federally qualified rural health centers, most hospitals and the county Department of Social Services.

Applications for Medicaid may be filed in person or by mail. For more information, call toll-free at 1-888-549-0820 or log on to www.scaccesshelp.org to apply online.

Help with Your Home

State Property Tax Assistance

Benefit: The state’s homestead exemption allows the first $50,000 of your property’s fair market value to be exempt from local property taxes.

Who can apply: If you are 65 or older, totally disabled or legally blind and have lived in South Carolina for at least one year, you may qualify for the homestead exemption.

How to apply: Apply through the South Carolina Department of Revenue. For more information call 803-898-5000 or log on to www.scaccesshelp.org.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program

Benefit: Pays heating and cooling bills, and some energy-related home repairs.

Who can apply: Low-income people with annual incomes less than $15,600 for one person, or $21,000 for two people.

How to apply: For additional information or application assistance, call 803-734-0662 or log on to www.oepp.sc.gov/oeo/programs.htm.

Telephone Assistance

Benefit: Helps pay for the cost of basic local telephone services.

Who can apply: Qualified low-income older adults. You are automatically eligible if you are in one of the following programs:

Medicaid,
Supplemental Security Income (SSI),
Federal Housing Assistance/Section 8 Programs,
Food Stamps,
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Programs,
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) General Assistance, and
Tribally Administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

How to apply: Call your local phone company and tell the sales department that you want to apply for Link Up or Lifeline.

Help Buying Nutritious Food

Food Stamp Program

Benefit: An Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card, similar to a debit card, that you can use like cash to pay for food at most grocery stores.

Who can apply: People with limited income and resources, especially people 60 and over.

How to apply: For more information and an application contact the South Carolina Department of Social Services toll-free at 1-800-768-5700 or log on to https://dss.sc.gov/default.aspx.

Cash Assistance

Social Security

Benefit: Monthly checks. How much you get depends on how long you have worked, how much money you earned, where you worked, and your age when you began getting benefits.

Who can apply: Workers who are 62 or older, people with disabilities, or the spouse and children of a deceased or disabled worker who paid into the Social Security program.

How to apply: You can find out if you qualify for Social Security Benefits by using the screening tool on the Social Security website (www.socialsecurity.gov). If you qualify, you can apply for retirement benefits online at www.socialsecurity.gov. You can also make an appointment at your local Social Security Office. To find your local Social Security Office, call 1-800-772-1213 toll free and tell the operator where you live.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

Benefit: Monthly checks.

Who can apply: People who are 65 and older, or people who are blind or have disabilities and have very low income and assets.

How to apply:You must make an appointment at your local Social Security office to apply. You can find your local Social Security office by calling 1-800-772-1213 toll free and telling the operator where you live. Or, you can log on to www.ssa.gov/pgm/links_ssi.htm.

Veterans Administration Benefits

http://www.va.gov/ and http://www.vba.va.gov/VBA/

Other Information

Eldercare Locator

Connects older Americans and their caregivers with sources of information on senior services. Call 1-800-677-1116 (hours of operation are Mon. - Fri. 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET) or log on to www.eldercare.gov.

Senior Information Hotline

For additional information about other programs and resources for older adults in South Carolina, call the South Carolina Office on Aging toll-free at 1-800-868-9095 or 803-734-9900. Or, log on to www.aging.sc.gov or www.scaccesshelp.org.

Legal Help

SENIOR CITIZENS LEGAL SERVICES- South Carolina Legal Services (SCLS) provides free, basic legal services in civil (non-criminal), non-fee-generating legal matters to eligible low-income residents of South Carolina who are U.S. citizens.

South Carolina Legal Services 1-888-346-5592 www.sclegal.org

or www.lawhelp.org/sc

(source: AARP Foundation)

Senior Benefits