NJ PAAD and Senior Gold raised their qualifications by $10,000 in 2022!

 

New Jersey has medication assistance programs called Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (PAAD) and Senior Gold.  The only qualification for these programs is an individual’s or couples’ income.  Assets are not asked on the NJ PAAD or Senior Gold applications.  The New Jersey legislator raised the income qualification from 2021 to 2022 by $10,000!

Below are the income requirements for 2022.  You can qualify as long as your gross income is below these thresholds.

	Single	Couple
NJ PAAD	$38,769	$45,270
Senior Gold	$48,769	$55,270

 

What is NJ PAAD?

 

PAAD is not insurance; it is assistance for prescriptions, so recipients must continue to have a Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan to cover their medications.  NJ PAAD will pay for the monthly premium for certain Part D plans and help pay the monthly premium for Medicare Advantage plans. You can click here to view a list of  Prescription Drug plans which are paid by NJ PAAD or click here to see the Medicare Advantage plans.   

If you qualify for NJ PAAD, the state will mail a yellow card that you can present to any New Jersey pharmacy.  The pharmacy will then bill your prescription drug plan first, NJ PAAD second, and the most you would pay is $5 for a generic medication or $7 for a brand name medication.

 

What is Senior Gold?

 

Senior Gold is similar to NJ PAAD, but individuals and couples with higher incomes can qualify for the program.  This program does not help with the monthly premium for Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage but gives a 50% discount on any medications after the first $15. So a medication that usually has a copay of $50 would be $32.50, and a medication that is usually $100 would be $57.50.  Senior Gold also has a catastrophic cap of $2,000 for a single individual or $3,000 for a married couple.  Once the Senior Gold recipient has paid those out of pocket amounts, the most someone would owe is $15 on a medication for the rest of the year. 

Since the program's qualifications increased by $10,000 in 2022, anyone enrolled in Senior Gold in 2021 automatically was switch to NJ PAAD for 2022.

 

How do you apply for the New Jersey State Assistance programs?

 

We at New Jersey Medicare Brokers assist people with applications for these programs.  The State uses an all in one application called NJ Save.  The fastest way for an application to be processed is by applying on the state website.  You can also apply with a paper application  for either program by mailing it to the state office or faxing to 1-609-588-7122. You will have to upload or make copies of the below documentation to prove eligibility for the state assistance programs.

• Most recent tax return, if filed
• Social Security statement
• Statement from any other income source- Pension, IRA, Annuity, 401K
• Driver’s License or Identification card
• Medicare card
• Prescription Drug or Medicare Advantage plan card
• Heating and Electric bill (If you wish to apply for help)

 

NJ Save has multiple state assistance programs all on one application.  The other programs include

Medicare Savings Program (MSP)- The state of New Jersey can pay for the Medicare Part B premium

Lifeline utility assistance- $225 annual utility benefit on electric and gas

Universal Service Fund (USF)- Utility assistance

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)- Utility assistance

Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (HAAAD)- Up to $500 per hearing aide

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)- Formerly known as Food Stamps

 

Feel free to reach out to New Jersey Medicare Brokers with any questions or help applying for state assistance programs.