Florida seniors leaving billions in benefits unclaimed each month

Hundreds of thousands of low-income Florida seniors are leaving billions of dollars in government funding on the table by not enrolling in programs that help pay for food, health care and utilities, according to the National Council on Aging. Some 940,000 low-income seniors are not enrolled in SNAP benefits, which pay around 188 dollars a month for groceries, 305,000 are not enrolled in Supplemental Security Income, which provides over 700 dollars a month for people with disabilities, and nearly 470,000 are not enrolled in Medicare savings programs worth about 200 dollars a month toward premiums, co-pays and deductibles. Together those programs add up to more than 1,000 dollars a month, or about 12,000 dollars a year per person. Many seniors do not apply because of income limits, but experts say so-called disregards mean some are eligible even when their income looks slightly too high, and help with the application is available at benefitscheckup.org or by phone.

Hundreds of thousands of low-income seniors in Florida are leaving billions of dollars in government funding on the table each month, simply because they are not signing up for the programs designed to help them. According to the National Council on Aging, the numbers involved are staggering, and the money is meant to help older residents pay for food, health care and utilities.

The single largest gap is in food assistance. Around 940,000 low-income seniors are not enrolled in SNAP benefits, the program that pays roughly 188 dollars a month toward groceries. For people living on a fixed income, that monthly support can make a meaningful difference in keeping food on the table.

There are also large gaps in cash and medical support. Some 305,000 seniors are not enrolled in Supplemental Security Income, known as SSI, which provides over 700 dollars a month for people with disabilities. Nearly 470,000 low-income seniors are not enrolled in Medicare savings programs, which contribute around 200 dollars a month toward premiums, co-pays and deductibles.

Added together, those programs amount to more than 1,000 dollars a month in support that is not being collected. Over the course of a year, that works out to about 12,000 dollars per person in funding that eligible seniors are leaving unclaimed.

One of the main reasons so many people miss out is the income limits attached to the programs. Many seniors assume that because their income appears to be above the listed threshold, they will not qualify, and so they never apply in the first place.

Experts say that assumption is often wrong. There are provisions known as disregards, which mean certain income is not counted against an applicant. As one expert explained, around 20 dollars can come off the top because of other expenses, and questions about health care costs and how monthly income is used can reduce what is counted as a person's true income, leaving them eligible after all.

Another barrier is the application process itself, which can seem daunting. Seniors who want help are encouraged to log on to benefitscheckup.org, where an individual can assist them in applying for the benefits, or to call 1-800-794-6559 for support in claiming the money they are entitled to.

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