Extra help is now available with applying for assistance with Medicare prescription drug costs.

Anyone with Medicare can get Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. Extra help is available for some people with limited income and resources. The assistance will pay for all or most of the monthly premiums, annual deductibles and lower prescription co-payments related to the plan. Extra help could be worth up to $3,600 per year.

To find out if someone is eligible, Social Security will need to know income and value of savings, investments and real estate (other than their home). If living with a married spouse, information for both is needed.

To qualify, a person must have income limited to $15,600 for an individual or $21,000 for a married couple living together. Even if the income is higher, a person may still be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments.

Resources limited to $11,990 for an individual or $23,970 for married couple living together including stocks, bonds and bank accounts. The house and car do not count.

On the Net:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp/