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Quick senior
link–
How can I find out
if there are assistance
programs that can help me?
Q:
Many seniors are constantly struggling with the high
cost of prescriptions and other bills. Is there a
place people can go to see if they or a loved one
might qualify for any assistance programs?
A: The
Minnesota Board on Aging, in cooperation with the
National Council on Aging, provides a free,
easy-to-use service that helps to identify federal
and state assistance programs for older Minnesotans.
The NCOA created
BenefitsCheckUp to help older adults to quickly
identify programs that may improve the quality of
their lives.
Here’s how it
works. A senior or family member enters the MBA
Website at www.mnaging.org and clicks on
BenefitsCheckUp. The client will be asked a series
of questions, which will vary based on the
responses. The 30 questions take about ten minutes
to complete. No confidential information such as
Social Security number or address is required. It is
a good idea to have the following information about
the person for whom you are answering the questions:
- Date of birth
- ZIP code
- Type of
residence (house, apartment or mobile home)
- Length of time
in current residence
- Veteran status
- Financial
information
- Employment
history (specifically, whether or not the person
ever worked for the government or the railroads)
- Current income
and assets from all sources
- Approximate
number of years the person has paid into Social
Security
- Estimates of
current expenses (such as mortgage/rent,
out-of-pocket medical bills)
After the
questionnaire is complete, the responses are
processed and the on-line counselor provides a
report listing the potential benefit programs
available. The report also provides information on
how to contact local agencies for more information
and how to apply for public programs.
For more
information on this or any other senior issue, call
the Senior LinkAge Line® at 1-800-333-2433. The
Senior LinkAge Line® — helping seniors make
informed choices. To verify that you might qualify
for assistance, you need to contact the program’s
administrator.
Quick Senior Link
items are taken from frequent calls to the Senior
LinkAge Line®, a free service that connects seniors
to programs or services that they need. Call
1-800-333-2433 or visit www.mnaging.org.
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