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September 11, 2026 · 10 min read
MSP application documents checklist: NYC (HRA) vs the rest of New York
In short: New York's Medicare Savings Program application is a two-page state form, DOH-4328, and it needs five kinds of proof: your Medicare card, your date of birth, your address, your income,…
Read the postSeptember 11, 2026 · 17 min read
Medicaid renewal letters in New York: what they mean if you have Medicare too
In short: if you have Medicare and Medicaid, or Medicare and a Medicare Savings Program (MSP), the fall brings two kinds of mail. Status letters ask whether you still have a program,…
Read the postSeptember 11, 2026 · 12 min read
How to prepare for a HIICAP appointment in New York: what to bring and what to ask
In short: a HIICAP appointment goes fastest when you bring three things. The letter or problem that made you call. Your Medicare card and any Medicaid or plan cards.
Read the postSeptember 11, 2026 · 9 min read
EPIC vs Extra Help in New York: which drug-cost program to check first
In short: if you are 65 or older with Medicare and limited income, check the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) first, because in New York an approved MSP brings Extra Help with it and has no savings test.
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September 10, 2026 · 7 min read
What "dual eligible" means in New York (full vs partial)
"Dual eligible" is a label that shows up on letters, at pharmacy counters, and in conversations with counselors, and it is rarely explained. In plain terms it me…
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September 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Medicare Savings Programs in NY: QMB vs QI in plain English
A Medicare Savings Program, usually shortened to MSP, is a state program that pays some of Medicare's costs for people with limited income. In New York it is run by Medicaid, but it is not the same thing as Medicaid.
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September 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Free Medicare counseling in NY: how HIICAP works (and when a broker is optional)
Every state has a program that offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling. In New York it is called HIICAP, the Health Insurance Information, Counseling, and Assistance Program.
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September 10, 2026 · 7 min read
Extra Help and MSP: how they often work together
Two programs lower Medicare costs for New Yorkers with limited income, and they are run by two different governments. Extra Help is federal and comes through Social Security.
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