One of the most important benefits that comes with approval for Social Security Disability benefits is access to health insurance through Medicare. Tennessee is one of the worst states in the country for access to health care, and a shocking number of disabled Tennesseans go for years without any health coverage while they are waiting to be approved for disability benefits. I have had so many clients over the years tell me that they are more excited to finally have health insurance than to have monthly income.
As exciting as it is to finally get access to Medicare, the reality is that the Medicare Part B premium, which is $185 a month in 2025, quickly eats into the monthly disability benefits a person receives. According to Social Security’s website, the average monthly Social Security disability benefit is about $1582 as of August 2025. Many people receive considerably less than that amount, especially if they had big gaps in employment or have a long history of low-paying jobs. $185 a month is a lot of money for someone on a fixed income, and that does not even account for out of pocket medical expenses like coinsurance and medication copays.
The good news is that there are two excellent programs that can assist lower income Medicare recipients with their premiums and out of pocket expenses. The first program is called the Medicare Savings Program, which is administered by the state. In Tennessee, you apply for the Medicare Savings Program through TennCare. There are four tiers to the program, with individuals with the lowest income receiving the most assistance. Individuals with a monthly income of $967 or less qualify for full Medicaid. If a person has a monthly income of $1325 or less, they are designated a Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB), and the state will pay their Medicare Part B premium as well as deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments. TennCare will pay the Medicare Part B premiums for individuals with an income up to $1781 a month.
Social Security also administers a program called Extra Help, which is for individuals with a monthly income of $1976 or less. The Extra Help program helps pay for Medicare Part D (prescription drug) premiums and deductibles and lowers copays for medications to $12.15 for brand name drugs and $4.90 for generic drugs. You apply for Extra Help through Social Security’s website, www.ssa.gov.
Many disabled individuals and even disability attorneys are not aware of these assistance programs, so be sure to explore these programs when your claim for disability benefits is finally approved.