YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
By DAVID BROWN

Do you have Medicare coverage? Do you take prescription medication? Would you like help paying your premiums, deductibles or co-payments? If the answer to these questions is yes, then we have important news for you.

Mr. Brown is District Manager of the Social Security Administration's Downtown New York Office.

If you're a Medicare beneficiary who has not enrolled in the new Medicare Prescription Drug Program, you may do so during the open season, which begins Nov. 15.

If you also have limited income and resources, you may qualify for extra help paying the premiums, deductibles and co-payments. This extra help - available through Social Security - can pay part of your monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments and could be worth more than $3,600 per year.

To qualify for the extra help, you must be receiving Medicare and have:

- Income limited to $15,315 for an individual or $20,535 for a married couple living together. Even if your annual income is higher, you still may be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription copayments. Some examples where income may be higher include if you or your spouse:

- Support other family members who live with you; - Have earnings from work; or - Live in Alaska or Hawaii; and

- Resources limited to $11,710 for an individual or $23,410 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds. We do not count your house and car as resources.

Social Security has an easy-to-use on-line application that anyone - family members, friends and caregivers - can complete. You can find it at www.socialsecurity.gov . To apply by phone or get an application, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Or go to the nearest Social Security office.

To learn more about the Medicare prescription drug plans and special enrollment periods, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048).

To learn more about the extra help available through Social Security, visit www.socialsecurity.gov.