Medicare Savings Program

New Yorkers on Medicare may be eligible for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP), a program administered by the New York State Department of Health. If you’re eligible, you could save on healthcare costs. Here’s what you need to know.

What changed?

Beginning January 1, 2023, New York State expanded the Medicare Savings Program by raising the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) eligibility requirement.

What is the Medicare Savings Program?

The Medicare Savings Program (MSP) helps pay for your Medicare premiums and lower your drug plan costs. Depending on your income, the MSP may also pay for other cost-sharing expenses.

Do you qualify?

Eligibility is based on your household income, with no limit to assets. For example, if you own your home, but make less than the amounts below, you can still qualify. Are you:

Single and making less than $2,400 a month?

Married and making less than $3,200 a month?

If you answered “yes” to one of these questions, you may now be able to save even more!

And if you are a Healthfirst Medicare Advantage member and you answered “yes”, you could save even more by switching from your current Healthfirst plan to a new Healthfirst Medicare Advantage plan with lower costs. Plus, you can:

  • Keep all your current doctors
  • Call the same Healthfirst Member Services number for support

How to apply:

Call Healthfirst for help applying right over the phone.

1-866-889-2524

Monday to Saturday, 8am-8pm

TTY English: 1-888-542-3821 TTY Spanish: 1-888-867-4132

Once you apply, it could take New York State 60 days to respond. 

What to do if you are approved

If you are approved, call us and we can help you find a Healthfirst plan that offers additional savings.

What are the plans you could switch to?

Life Improvement Plan

If you qualify for Medicaid, you can switch to the Healthfirst Life Improvement Plan.

  • Medicaid provided directly by New York State.
  • Medicaid provides coverage for the cost of your Medicare copays and may cover items that Medicare does not, such as vitamins or certain types of medical equipment.

Increased Benefits Plan

If you qualify for the Medicare Savings Program, you can switch to the Healthfirst Increased Benefits Plan.

  • This Medicare Savings Program (MSP) helps pay for your Medicare premiums and lower your drug plan costs.
  • Depending on your income, the MSP may also pay for other cost-sharing expenses.

Coverage is provided by Healthfirst Health Plan, Inc. or Healthfirst Insurance Company, Inc. (“Healthfirst”). Healthfirst Medicare Plan has HMO and PPO plans with a Medicare contract. Our SNPs also have contracts with the NY State Medicaid program. Enrollment in Healthfirst Medicare Plan depends on contract renew

OTC items are subject to the plan’s list of eligible items and the plan’s participating network of retail, online, and utility providers. Balances expire upon disenrollment.

No out-of-pocket costs for entry-level hearing aids. Eyewear allowance can only be used at participating retailers.

Healthfirst complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-866-305-0408 (TTY 1-888-867-4132). 

注意:如果您使用繁體中文,您可以免費獲得語言援助服務。請致電 1-866-305-0408 (TTY 1-888-542-3821).

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