Medicare programs for financial help

Medicare Prescription Payment Plan 

Beginning January 1, 2025, there will be a new payment option to help Medicare members manage their out-of-pocket drug costs. There are three ways to enroll.

  1. Download a PDF to fill out and mail in.
    English (PDF, 2.6 MB) / Español (PDF, 2.2 MB) / Chinese (PDF, 2.5 MB)
  2. Enroll online.
  3. Call (833) 696-2087 (TTY: 711) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven days a week

For more information visit Medicare.gov

Or download a factsheet:
English (PDF, 2.3 MB) / Español (PDF, 860 KB) / Chinese (PDF, 2.3 MB)

 

Medicare Savings Programs

If you have limited income and assets, you may qualify for a Medicare Savings Program to help you pay your Medicare costs. There are four types of Medicare savings programs.

Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) Program

The QMB program helps pay for:

  • Medicare Part A premiums
  • Medicare Part B premiums
  • Deductibles, coinsurance, copayments (for services and items Medicare covers)

Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program

The SLMB program can help pay for:

  • Medicare Part B premiums (You must have both Part A and Part B to qualify.)

Qualifying Individual (QI) Program

The QI program can help pay for:

  • Medicare Part B premiums (You must have both Part A and Part B to qualify.)

Qualified Disabled and Working Individuals (QDWI) Program

The QDWI program can help pay for:

  • Medicare Part A premiums only
     

Save on your Medicare Part D drug costs with Extra Help

People with limited income and resources may qualify for the Extra Help program to help pay for their Part D premiums, deductibles, and copayments. If eligible, Medicare could help pay for your drug costs. Also, those who qualify will not be subject to the coverage gap or a late-enrollment penalty.

If you get Extra Help from Medicare to help pay for your Medicare prescription drug plan costs, the amount of extra help you get will determine your total monthly plan premium as a member of our plan.

Download the chart to see what your monthly plan premium will be if you get extra help.

Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug Plan (MAPD) LIS Premium summary chart: English (PDF, 136 KB) / Español (PDF, 183 KB) / Chinese (PDF, 292 KB)

Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) LIS Premium summary chart: English (PDF, 153 KB) / Español (PDF, 171 KB)

Dual Special Needs Plan (HMO D-SNP) LIS Premium summary chart: English (PDF, 153 KB) / Español (PDF, 152 KB) / Arabic (PDF, 328 KB) / Armenian (PDF, 237 KB) / Chinese (Simplified) (PDF, 208 KB) / Chinese (Traditional) (PDF, 229 KB) / Farsi (PDF, 349 KB) / Khmer (PDF, 271 KB) / Korean (PDF, 220 KB) / Russian (PDF, 142 KB) / Tagalog (PDF, 181 KB) / Vietnamese (PDF, 160 KB)

 

How do I know if I qualify for extra help?

If you believe you qualify for Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) and are paying 100% of your premium, you can contact the resources below for more information:

Get more information

Download a free booklet *

Get a free copy of Your Guided Path to Medicare to understand your coverage options.

Get your booklet
Woman considering Medicare options

Informational videos

View informative videos to learn about Medicare and your coverage options.

Watch now

FAQs

Get answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about Medicare.

Get answers

This is not a complete description of benefits. Current members can contact Customer Service at (800) 776-4466 (TTY: 711) for more information. Hours of operation 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week. Members with Blue Shield of California Dual Special Needs Plans can contact (800) 452-4413 (TTY:711), 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

Y0118_24_424A1_M Accepted 10122024
H2819_24_424A1_M Accepted 10122024 

Page last updated: 10/15/2024

*Free digital copy with no obligation to enroll.

Blue Shield Medicare Advisers are available April 1 through September 30: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., weekdays and October 1 through March 31: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week.

© California Physician’s Service DBA Blue Shield of California 1999-2024. All rights reserved.

California Physician’s Service DBA Blue Shield of California is an independent member of the Blue Shield Association.

Blue Shield of California 601 12th Street, Oakland, CA 94607.

For Blue Shield Medicare Advantage Plans: Blue Shield of California is an HMO, HMO D-SNP, PPO and a PDP plan with a Medicare contract and a contract with the California State Medicaid Program. Enrollment in Blue Shield of California depends on contract renewal.

 
 
The company complies with applicable state laws and federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate, exclude people, or treat them differently on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic group identification, medical condition, genetic information, ancestry, religion, sex, marital status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, mental disability, or physical disability. La compañía cumple con las leyes de derechos civiles federales y estatales aplicables, y no discrimina, ni excluye ni trata de manera diferente a las personas por su raza, color, país de origen, identificación con determinado grupo étnico, condición médica, información genética, ascendencia, religión, sexo, estado civil, género, identidad de género, orientación sexual, edad, ni discapacidad física ni mental. 本公司遵守適用的州法律和聯邦民權法律,並且不會以種族、膚色、原國籍、族群認同、醫療狀況、遺傳資訊、血統、宗教、性別、婚姻狀況、性別認同、性取向、年齡、精神殘疾或身體殘疾而進行歧視、排斥或區別對待他人。