By Warren Beck | Social Security District Manager in Syracuse.
We continue to make it easier for you to access our programs and benefits. Our website –www.SSA.gov– offers a convenient way to apply online for benefits.
You can apply for:
• Retirement or Spouse’s Benefits — You must be at least 61 years and 9 months and want your benefits to start in no more than 4 months. Apply at www.ssa.gov/retirement.
• Disability Benefits — You can use our online application at www.ssa.gov/disability to apply for disability benefits if you:
– Are age 18 or older.
– Are unable to work because of a medical condition that is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.
– Have not been denied disability benefits in the last 60 days. If your application was recently denied, you can appeal our decision online and request a review of the determination we made. Please visit www.ssa.gov/apply/appeal-decision-we-made.
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI) — SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have limited income and few resources. People age 65 and older without disabilities who have limited income and resources may also be eligible for SSI. Some adults with disabilities who meet certain requirements may complete the application process online. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov/ssi. If you cannot visit our website, you can call 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment. (If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you may contact our TTY/TDD number, 1-800-325-0778.)
• Medicare — Medicare is a federal health insurance program for:
– People aged 65 or older.
– Younger workers who have received disability benefits for 24 months.
– People with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Note: They do not have a two-year waiting period.
If you are not already receiving Social Security benefits, you should apply for Medicare up to three months before turning age 65 at www.ssa.gov/medicare. You should consider your Medicare options even if you are still working and covered under an employer group health plan (or your spouse’s employer health plan through their active employment).
• Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs — The Extra Help program helps Medicare beneficiaries with prescription drug costs, like deductibles and copays. People on Medicare who need assistance with the cost of their medications can apply for Extra Help at www.ssa.gov/medicare/part-d-extra-help.
Please share this information with those who need it.
Q&A
Q.: I will rely on Medicare when I retire. Can you explain the different parts of Medicare?
A.: The different parts of Medicare cover your specific needs. There are 4 parts, all of which work in tandem to deliver healthcare services:
• Part A (hospital insurance): This helps pay for inpatient care in a hospital or skilled nursing facility (following a hospital stay), some home health care, and hospice care.
• Part B (medical insurance): This helps pay for doctors’ and other health care providers services, outpatient care, home health care, durable medical equipment, and many preventive services (such as screenings, shots or vaccines, and yearly wellness visits).
• Part C (Medicare Advantage plans): If you have Medicare Parts A and B, you can join a Medicare Advantage plan. Private companies offer Medicare Advantage plans, which are approved by Medicare. These plans generally help you pay the medical costs not covered by Medicare Part A and B.
• Part D (prescription drug coverage): This helps pay for prescription drugs (including many recommended shots and vaccines).
Q.: What are the requirements for receiving benefits for a surviving spouse with a disability?
A.: You may be able to get benefits as a surviving spouse with a disability at age 50 if you meet Social Security’s disability requirement. Your disability must have started before age 60 and within seven years of the latest of the following dates: the month the worker died; the last month you were entitled to survivors benefits on the worker’s record as a parent caring for a surviving minor child; or the month your previous entitlement to benefits for surviving spouse with a disability ended because your disability ended. To learn more, visit www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability/qualify.html.