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Medicare Question of the Month

Each month, our expert showcases a Medicare question submitted by one of our readers. You may submit a question at any time and get a personal response.

This Month's Question:

  • I heard that everyone who gets any kind of Social Security benefit is going to get a $250 stimulus payment under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. When will I get my money, and will it kick me off my SNAP (food stamps) allotment?

Answer

  • The new law provides for a payment of $250 for everyone who gets any type of Social Security benefit and who lives in the United States or the American territories.

    According to the Social Security Administration, you’ll get the money by the first week in June. If your monthly Social Security is deposited into your bank account, this extra payment will also be deposited into your account. Otherwise, you’ll get an extra check in the mail.

    People who get these benefits will also get the $250:

    • Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
    • Veterans Administration (VA)
    • Railroad Retirement

    But nobody will get more than $250, even if you get more than one of these types of income.

    If you are a recipient of Medicaid, Extra Help, SNAP, or any other federally funded entitlement benefit, this payment will not count as income for nine months after you get it. This means it won't affect the amount you receive from those benefits or your eligibility for them; it's an extra payment. This should give you time to spend the $250, or to put it into your savings, as long as putting the money away won’t put your savings above the level you can keep and still get your benefits.

    If you want to get more info about the $250 payment, My Medicare Matters will help you find a local resource where you can get personalized answers and assistance.

Our Expert:

Hilary Dalin
Associate Director, My Medicare Matters
National Council on Aging

Hilary Dalin has worked for many years to enable Medicare beneficiaries to understand their rights by strengthening Medicare beneficiary education and personalized counseling.

At NCOA and in her prior positions, Ms. Dalin has worked with State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs), state and local agencies on aging, and other aging network professionals. She has taught elder law at law schools in New York, Connecticut, and Washington, DC.

In addition, she has written and lectured on the following topics:

  • Medicare, Medicaid, and home and community-based care as an alternative to institutionalization
  • The rights of nursing home residents
  • Benefits education and counseling skills.

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