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Quick senior link–
Help with your phone bill
Q: The telephone is such an important
aspect of living independently. Are there any
programs that will help to pay the monthly bills?
A: Phone discount programs are available
if you meet specific program guidelines. Depending
on your income and where you live, you may qualify
for more than one discount.
If you do not currently have a telephone, Link-Up
can pay up to half of local connection and
installation charges with a maximum of $30.00. To
qualify, you must be enrolled in at least one of the
following programs: Medicaid (Medical Assistance),
food stamps, Supplemental Security Income (SSI),
Federal Public Housing Assistance or Low-income Home
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). If you live on a
federally recognized reservation, you may qualify
for an additional discount of up to $70.00 if you
meet certain guidelines.
If you are eligible for and enrolled in Lifeline,
the Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) provides an
additional $1.75 discount per month, for total
savings of up to $9.50. If you do not qualify for
Lifeline but meet TAP requirements, TAP provides a
monthly $6.98 phone credit. To be eligible, you or
your spouse must be over age 65 or disabled and your
household income must be at or below 150% of federal
poverty guidelines or you must participate in at
least one of these programs: Energy Assistance,
General Assistance, Medical Assistance, Refugee Cash
Assistance, Minnesota Supplemental Aid, Food Stamps,
General Assistance Medical Care, Minnesota Family
Investment Program (MFIP), or Supplemental Security
Income.
If using a standard phone is difficult due to
hearing loss, speech and/or mobility impairment, the
Telephone Equipment Distribution (TED) program (see
story on page 1) can provide specialized phone
equipment. The application for the TED program is
available at www.tedprogram.org.
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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