About Benefits CheckUp

Many older people need help paying for prescription drugs, health care, utilities and other basic needs. Ironically, millions of older Americans especially those with limited incomes are eligible for but not receiving benefits from existing federal, state and local programs. Ranging from heating and energy assistance to prescription savings programs to income supplements, there are many public programs available to seniors in need if they only knew about them and how to apply for them.

Developed and maintained by The National Council on Aging (NCOA), BenefitsCheckUp is the nation`s most comprehensive Web-based service to screen for benefits programs for seniors with limited income and resources.

BenefitsCheckUp includes more than 2,000 public and private benefits programs from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, such as:

• Prescription drugs
• Nutrition (including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance (SNAP)/Food Stamps)
• Energy assistance
• Financial
• Legal
• Health care
• Social Security
• Housing
• In-home services
• Tax relief
• Transportation
• Educational assistance
• Employment
• Volunteer services

Since 2001, millions of people have used BenefitsCheckUp to find benefits programs that help them pay for prescription drugs, health care, rent, utilities, and other needs.

Clinton Memorial Hospital offers a full range of inpatient and outpatient specialized services, including emergency services, medical and radiation oncology, orthopedics, obstetrics, surgery, diagnostic and interventional radiology and more.

CMH Regional Health System's network of outpatient physician practices and services—including primary care, internal medicine, neurology, and sports medicine—extends through Clinton, Fayette, and Highland counties.

CMH Regional Health System is part of LifePoint Health.

If you would like to see our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment, you can view the full report here. We were proud to partner with HealthFirst for Clinton County to make this health needs assessment possible.

~A Patient-First Approach
At ExactCare Pharmacy, the role we play in patients’ lives goes beyond
dispensing medications. Every day, our team has the opportunity to provide
clinical support, education, convenience and peace of mind. We are
committed to doing whatever it takes to ensure patients have the medication
management support they need to stay healthy, out of the hospital and at home.

If you are able to get Medicare's Part D drug coverage, and have limited income and savings, you may be able to get "Extra Help" from the Medicare Part D Low-Income Subsidy (LIS/Extra Help).  This program provides help to pay for your Pard D premiums, deductibles, and prescription co-payments.  Extra Help has three levels of help.  How much assistance you get depends on your income and resources.  

How to Apply for Extra Help

Some people do not need to apply for Extra Help.  If you are already enrolled in Medicaid, SSI or a Medicare Savings Program (except QDWI), you automatically get Extra Help.  

Call Council on Aging for assistance with applications: (513) 721-1025, apply online at Social Security or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to apply by phone or get a paper application. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.

1. FAITH Ministries is a cooperative partnership among seven local churches, United Way of Warren County, Kiwanis to provide emergency relief for persons and families in need .
2. FAITH Ministries is open to meet with persons in our office inside Mason United Methodist Church from 1:00pm to 3:00 pm each Thursday.  We are closed on Thanksgiving Day or when Christmas Day or Christmas Eve falls on Thursday.
3. Emergency support is available for food, rent, utilities (water, gas, electricity, propane, fuel oil), and prescription medications.
4. FAITH Ministries serves Mason and Deerfield Township (and Shadow Lake Trailer Park, which is in the Lebanon School District).
5. Clients must have a letter or bill stating the of date of utility shut-off or eviction including the name of the client, mailing address, and phone number of the provider/landlord.
6. Food assistance is available for clients who are currently receiving Food Stamp benefits.
7. Clients must come in person with picture identification, like a driver’s license, showing current resident address.  if the driver’s license has an old address, then bring a recent bill showing the current address.
8. If client is currently receiving Food Stamps they should bring in the paperwork that shows they are currently receiving benefits.
9. Client must fill out a FAITH financial assistance statement including
o Full Name
o Current resident address
o Telephone Number
o Summary of the monthly income and expenses
 

• Private, not-for-profit Federally Qualified Community Health Center (FQHC)

• Serves five Appalachian counties: Adams, Brown, Clermont, Highland and Fayette
• various other Medical Centers throughout the service area
• Approximately 50 primary care providers
• Services include: Family Practice, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Ob/Gyn, Psychiatry, Behavioral Health, Dentistry, Pharmacy
• Treats all patients regardless of ability to pay
• Offers a discounted fee to patients and families who qualify 
• Payer mix includes: Medicaid, Medicare, Private Insurance and Managed Care as well as uninsured and underinsured

Medicare.gov has all of the information and tools you need for questions or help with Medicare. You can:

• enroll in Medicare online
• compare and enroll in Medicare health or prescription plans
• find and compare doctors
• check to see if a test or service is covered by Medicare
• chat with a Medicare representative
• research and compare nursing homes and home health agencies
• get extra help with medical and prescription drug costs
• get a new Medicare card

Medicare Nursing Home Compare

Use the site to obtain a free copy of A Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home.You can search the site to obtain and compare nursing home information from all parts of the country, including their performance at their last Medicare state survey.

Medicare Plan Finder

Not all Medicare Advantage Plans work the same way, so before you join, take the time to find and compare Medicare Health Plans in your area.  

Use Medicare's Plan Finder to find and compare Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans available in your area.  Have the enrollee's zip code ready.

You can get help from your state paying your Medicare premiums. In some cases, Medicare Savings Programs may also pay Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments if you meet certain conditions.

Medicare Savings Programs

There are four kinds of Medicare Savings Programs

1. Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program
2. Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program
   If you have income from working, you may qualify for SLMB benefits even if your income is higher than these limits.
3. Qualified Individual (QI) Program
   You must apply every year for QI benefits. QI applications are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to people who got QI benefits the previous year. (You can't get QI benefits if you qualify for Medicaid).
4. Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI) Program
   The QDWI program helps pay the Part A premium. You may qualify if any of the following apply to you:

Are a working disabled person under 65
Lost your premium-free Medicare Part A when you went back to work
Aren't getting medical assistance from your state
Meet the income and resource limits required by your state

How to Apply for Medicare Savings Programs

Many people do not know or understand if they qualify for Medicare Savings Programs.  Council on Aging can help.  Call us at 513-721-1025 for help in determining your eligibility. 

If you qualify for a Medicare Savings Program in your state, you automatically qualify to get Extra Help paying for Medicare prescription drug coverage.

Many drug manufacturers have programs that help people with limited incomes afford their medicines.  these are called "Patient Assistance Program or PAPs.  Through these programs, many drug manufacturers offer the drugs they make for free, or at a discount.  

Most PAPs are for people who can't afford their drugs and don't have other drug coverage.  Several PAPs help people in Medicare Part D plans who are not eligible for LIS/Extra Help. 

Call 1-888-477-2669 to learn if you qualify and if your prescription may be available for free or at a low-cost fee. 

Some drug companies have Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (PAPs) that help people pay for the drugs they make. Use Medicare's search tool to find out more about PAPs and see if any programs are available for the drugs you're taking.  Have a list of your drugs available.

RetireMEDiQ, formerly MB Senior Solutions, was formed in 2007 to provide Medicare-eligible individuals with the knowledge, guidance and choice needed to select a Medicare plan that is right for their specific needs. RetireMEDiQ specializes in helping individuals understand Medicare options, and advises approximately 18,000 individuals on their health care plan selection.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Cincinnati is a non-profit organization providing a unique style of personal assistance with food, clothing, medicine, rent, utilities, transportation and companionship to people facing economic, emotional or spiritual crises.

The Charitable Pharmacy

The Charitable Pharmacy is currently open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week to certify up to 12 new clients each day for up to six months of prescription coverage. To get enrolled you will need proof of residence, verification of income and expenses for all household members, and original or faxed prescriptions. The pharmacy serves clients from Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren Counties.

Edyth & Carl Lindner Choice Food Pantry

For those requesting assistance with food, the Edyth & Carl Lindner Choice Food Pantry is open every Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to noon at our West End Office at 1125 Bank Street.  Those living in the following zip codes are welcome to come: 45202, 45203, 45214, 45219, 45225, 45229, 45232. For those living outside the zip code range, please call (513) 421-0602 to locate a food pantry in your area. 

Please bring the following documentation with you:

1. Picture ID, Social Security Cards or a printout for the entire household.
2. Proof of address, for example a recent utility bill or any piece of mail with your name and address on it, postmarked within the last 30 days.

Homelessness Prevention

St. Vincent de Paul`s help is diverse and far-reaching, but it begins in prevention.  For those living paycheck to paycheck an unexpected expense such as a car repair or a child`s medical bill can set the whole household over budget.  Often a small investment to help with a rent or utility bill will save a family from eviction or having water or electricity turned off and ultimately catches them before they become homeless.

Across Cincinnati, that's what the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is all about serving our neighbors in need, regardless of race or religious affiliation. When difficult situations arise - a lost job, an illness or unexpected expense - the most basic necessities like food, shelter, medicine, clothing, and transportation can become impossible to afford.

St. Vincent de Paul operates 7 thrift stores throughtout Hamilton County in support of our programs and services.  The agency offers a free pick-up of donated furniture, hosehold items and hently used clothing for people wishing to downsize their residences or replace their current hosehold belongings.

At St. Vincent de Paul, we ease an individual or family's initial emergency, then shepherd them into programs that can bring lasting change.

Some states have State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAPs) that help people pay for prescription drug based on financial need, age, or medical condition.

How to Apply for SPAPs

Each SPAP has different rules about eligibility, how to apply, and how it works with Medicare prescription drug coverage. Use Medicare's search tool to find State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs your state.  There are currently no programs in Ohio.

Many of us are forced to make tough decisions every day about paying bills, buying food, accessing medical care, and stretching our household budgets. The Ohio Benefit Bank is designed to make it simpler for Ohioans to connect with programs and resources that can make those decisions a little bit easier. From any computer with Internet access, you can use the online service to complete applications for programs like food assistance, child care assistance, health coverage, and much more.