My mom is an 83-year-old widow with an income of about $12,000 and almost no savings. She is covered by Medicare. Does she qualify for any financial assistance with her Medicare coverage?

Your mom might qualify for Medicaid under current eligibility rules, if her income and assets are low enough. Under the current rules, Medicaid helps many low-income people on Medicare with their Medicare premiums and cost-sharing requirements, and may also cover some benefits that are not covered by Medicare, such as dental services and long-term services and supports. Your mom might also qualify for extra financial assistance to help with the cost of Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. To find out if she qualifies for these programs, you can contact the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) in your state, the State Medical Assistance Office (for Medicaid), or the Social Security Administration (for Part D extra help). The Medicare website provides links and phone numbers for these and other organizations.