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Archived News Article: Information may be out of date
December 8, 2010

The Affordable Care Act Includes Important Benefits for Medicare Recipients

The Affordable Care Act Includes Important Benefits for Medicare Recipients
The Affordable Care Act Includes Important Benefits for Medicare Recipients

If you are a Medicare recipient, the Affordable Care Act could help you with the costs of prescription drugs.

Most Medicare drug plans have what is called a coverage gap, which, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, this means that a recipient’s plan will cover the cost of prescription drugs up to a certain amount, where then all additional costs must be paid out-of-pocket. You can find out whether you have entered the coverage gap and reached the amount spent of drugs by reading your explanation of benefits notice sent each month when a prescription is filled.

How do I determine my eligibility for the Affordable Care Act?

To qualify for the Affordable Care Act, individuals must:

  • Currently live in the United States.
  • Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
  • Not be currently incarcerated.
  • Have an income that does not exceed 400 percent of the federal poverty level.

How do I apply for benefits under the Affordable Care Act?

There is no application process needed to benefit from the Affordable Care Act. If you are not already receiving Medicare Extra Help as a Medicare recipient, then you will automatically receive a one-time, tax-free $250 rebate check from Medicare. After June 10, 2010, Medicare recipients who have reached the coverage gap, or donut hole, should receive the check within 45 days of doing so.

How has the Affordable Care Act helped recipients save?

An analysis done by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimated that the average savings under the Affordable Care Act will amount to more than $3,500 over the next ten years for those enrolled in traditional Medicare and as much as $12,300 over the next ten years for seniors and people with disabilities who are likely to have high prescription drug costs.

Where can I find more information on the Affordable Care Act?

To learn more about the next step in closing the coverage gap, visit Medicare.gov, the official U.S. government website for Medicare. You can also read more about the Act on Healthcare.gov.

Let Benefits.gov help you find the government benefit programs that you may be eligible to receive. Take the Benefit Finder questionnaire to find benefits that you may qualify for. Also, be sure to browse the Healthcare and Medical Assistance category for more benefits on Medicare and other healthcare programs.

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