Paying for Medical Care

What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?

What help is available through Senior & Disabled Services?

Where can I find other resources for help?

What is the difference between Medicare and Medicaid?
The most common insurance coverage that seniors and people with disabilities carry is called Medicare. Medicare is the national health insurance program for people 65 years of age and older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with End-Stage Renal Disease (permanent kidney failure with dialysis or a transplant, sometimes called ESRD). For more information on Medicare, visit the Medicare page of this site.

Another type of coverage available to qualified seniors and people with disabilities is called Medicaid. To receive help through Medicaid, individuals must meet certain income and asset guidelines. Medicaid can help pay for Medicare premiums, doctor’s visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, medical supplies and equipment. For more information on Medicaid, visit the Medicaid page of this site.

What help is available through Senior & Disabled Services?

Services Available to All People
Information & Referral staff provides detailed information about eligibility and the initial eligibility determination process for programs serving seniors and people with disabilities. Adult Protective Services investigates all reports of abuse and/or neglect of a person with a disability or an elderly person.

Services for Seniors
The Senior Meals, Senior Connections, and Oregon Project Independence programs serve people 60 years old and over. These programs offer important options to help people stay in their own home. There is no income or resource test to qualify for these programs.

Other programs available through Senior & Disabled Services are for people 65 years and up, and are be based on income and/or resource limits. Some programs pay for Medicare premiums and co-pays. For those that meet the income and resource guidelines, medical coverage through the Oregon Health Plan is available. The Food Stamp program offers people help to pay for groceries through the Oregon Trail Card. Other programs can offer help paying for long term care, but to be eligible a person must need assistance with the tasks of everyday living (such as bathing, dressing, walking, toileting, or eating). The rules can be very complicated, so it is best to call our office to discuss the guidelines for each program so you don’t rule yourself out.

Services for Persons with Disabilities
Most programs and services are available to persons with disabilities aged 18-64 years. In order to qualify, a person must be receiving Social Security Disability and/or SSI, or be determined disabled through the State of Oregon Disability Determination process. Some programs pay for Medicare premiums and co-pays. For those that meet the income and resource guidelines, medical coverage through the Oregon Health Plan is available. The Food Stamp program offers people help to pay for groceries through the Oregon Trail Card. Other programs can offer help paying for long term care, but to be eligible a person must need assistance with the tasks of everyday living (such as bathing, dressing, walking, toileting, or eating).

All programs are based on income and/or resource limits and a person must reapply each year. The rules are very complicated. It is best to call our office to discuss the guidelines for each program so you don’t rule yourself out.

Where can I find other resources for help?
For a list of the Lane County offices that offer help with food stamps and medical coverage to families and people with children, visit the State of Oregon website.

The Senior Health Insurance Benefit Assistance (SHIBA) program offers volunteers who can help with health insurance matters, such as understanding Medicare statements and billings. Please contact Senior Law Service at (541) 485-1017 or toll free at 1-800-575-9283 for more information.

The Veterans Services of Lane County offers help to veterans, their dependents and survivors.

With the high cost of prescription drugs, many people need help to pay for prescriptions. Here are a few resources available to help people pay for prescriptions:

Beginning in January 2006, prescription drug coverage is available to Medicare recipients. A helpful website to find more information on this is www.medicare.gov.
The Oregon Prescription Drug Program (OPDP) is available to people over age 54 with limited incomes and who have had no private prescription coverage for at least six months. The application can be downloaded at www.opdp.org.
Certain medical groups in Lane County offer help applying for prescription assistance programs through drug companies. It is best to check with your doctor to see if that service is available for you.

PDF files require Acrobat Reader.