Services for Seniors

KLS cooperates with the Kansas Department on Aging and Disability Services and the Area Agencies on Aging as an integral part of the state aging network. Older Americans Act funds are combined with LSC, IOLTA and other private funds to address this growing area of need.

The Senior Citizen Law Project (SCLP) provides services in a wide range of civil legal issues to persons age 60 and older. Its objective is to target the more vulnerable elderly population who are in the greatest social and economic need. Priorities include assuring that seniors obtain the cash and medical assistance essential to their well being and stopping financial, physical or psychological abuse of elders.

SCLP also has an extensive community education program through which elders and workers serving the elderly are educated about elders' rights and protections under the law.

Elder Law Hotline is a project of KLS. Hotline attorneys answer questions in civil cases for Kansans age 60 or older. Cases may be referred to a local Senior Citizens Law Project attorney or a private attorney through the Elder Law Panel organized cooperatively with the Kansas Bar Association.

The Elder Law Hotline addresses the increasing need for quality elder law services in a largely rural state. Considering the limitations on both physical and geographic mobility, a statewide Hotline service is an effective method for delivering legal services to elderly Kansans.

In 2009, the Kansas Bar Association gave its annual Pro Bono Award to the Elder Law Hotline. This award recognizes a lawyer or law firm for the delivery of direct legal services free of charge to the poor or vulnerable.

Elder Hotline

888-353-5337

Click here for information about Advance Directives including Health Care Power of Attorney, Living Will and Do Not Resuscitate Orders.

Important Notice for Seniors about "Extra Help" with Part D Premiums

You may qualify for extra help paying your Medicare Part D (Drug insurance) premium.

You can check your eligibility and apply online here: https://secure.ssa.gov/i1020/start

Social Security says you should complete this application for Extra Help on the internet if:

You have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and/or Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance); and

You have income below $1,361 for a single person or $1,838 for a couple.

Your combined savings, investments, and real estate are not worth more than $26,580, if you are married and living with your spouse, or $13,000 if you are not currently married or not living with your spouse. (Do NOT count your home, vehicles, personal possessions, life insurance, burial plots, irrevocable burial contracts or back payments from Social Security or SSI.) If you have more than those amounts, you may not qualify for the extra help. However, you can still enroll in an approved Medicare prescription drug plan for coverage.

EXCEPTION: Even if you meet these conditions, DO NOT complete this application if you have Medicare and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicare and Medicaid because you automatically get the extra help.

You may also qualify for help with your Part B premium, co-pays and deductibles. There are three programs with varying benefit amounts. However, there is only one application. This program is administered through the State of Kansas. If you think you apply for any of these benefits, print this application and send it to your local DCF (Kansas Department of Children and Families) office. (Find your local office on this map: http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/Pages/DCFOfficeLocatorMap.aspx)

Want to learn more about the program? View this brochure.

Print the application here: http://www.dcf.ks.gov/Documents/Food/ES-3100.8_Application_Redetermination_01-06.pdf

Income and resource limits for these programs change annually. Currently, the income limits are

	1 PERSON			Couple
Eligibility for QMB, also known as Medicare Savings Plan		Asset limits		Asset limits
	$ 958		$ 7,080	$ 1,293		$ 10,410
The Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB) program provides Medicare Part B premium of $104.90 a month , deductibles and Medicare co-pay
Assets: Don't count residence, car, personal property. Do count savings, investments, CDs,
People who have been found eligible for QMB have their paper Medicare card and a plastic card, with eligibility end and reapply dates. QMB does not have any estate recovery requirement.
	1 PERSON			Couple
		Asset limits		Asset limits
Eligible for LMB or ELMB	$ 1,293	$ 7,080		$ 1,745	$ 10,410
also known as Medicare Savings Plan
Assets: Don't count residence, car, personal property. Do count savings, investments, CDs,
The Limited Medicare Beneficiary (LMB) Program pays Medicare part B premium of $104.90 a month. This increases your Social Security check. Without this program, the Medicare premium is automatically deducted from your monthly Social Security check. The LMB and ELMB programs do not have any estate recovery requirement.

**Income numbers are in effect May 1, 2013

Need proof of your Social Security benefit amount? You can get that information immediately online. Go to http://www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount/ to create an online account and print a copy of your benefit letter.

Getting guardianship of your grandchildren by Alexandra English, staff attorney in our Kansas City office, was published in the June 2012 edition of the Johnson County Department on Aging newsletter The Best Times.