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Circuit Breaker Grant, Senior Care, Pharmaceutical Assistance
If you are over the age of 65, you may qualify for the
Circuit Breaker, SeniorCare, or Pharmaceutical Assistance program. The
programs are administered by the Illinois Department on Aging, and are
intended to help people pay for their prescription drugs.
Circuit Breaker provides grants to senior citizens and people with
disabilities. To qualify,
applicants must pay property tax, mobile
home tax, or rent
or live in a rental unit, nursing home, or retirement home that is
subject to property tax. Immigration requirements DO NOT MATTER for
Circuit Breaker.
If you meet the following income guidelines, you may qualify for Circuit
Breaker:
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Household Size
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Annual Income (for year 2003)
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1
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Less than $21,218
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2
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Less than $28,480
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3
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Less than $35,740
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SeniorCare provides prescription coverage to eligible
seniors (age 65 or older) and will pay for most prescription drugs and
many over-the-counter
drugs if prescribed by your doctor. There is no enrollment fee but
you
must reapply every year. Applicants must meet be U.S. citizens
or meet immigration requirements AND meet the following income guidelines
to
qualify:
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Annual Income Limit |
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Unmarried |
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Less than $18,620 |
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Married |
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Less than $24,980 |
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SeniorCare pays up to $1,750 per person per year with either no co-payment
or a low co payment depending upon your income. After you reach
the $1,750 limit,
you pay 20% of the cost of each prescription plus any applicable co-payments.
If your health insurance covers pharmaceutical benefits you may choose
to sign up for SeniorCare Rebate. You will get a $25 rebate check every
month
instead
of having a SeniorCare card. You must use your health insurance to help
pay for your prescriptions, and the only SeniorCare benefit you will
get is the
monthly
rebate check. You must maintain your own health insurance prescription
coverage as long as you get SeniorCare Rebate. To receive a rebate
check you must
apply for SeniorCare.
The Pharmaceutical Assistance Program provides prescription
medicines used to treat certain diseases. It is for people with
disabilities between the
ages of
16 and 64, and people who are 65 and older who do not meet the
immigration requirements of SeniorCare or whose income is over the limits
for SeniorCare.
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