Log in

Guest Commentary: CAN offers free benefits assistance interviews

Posted

The Mission of the Sun City Community Assistance Network is to, “Connect people with resources to enhance their standard of living.”

In other words, Sun City CAN helps people save money on things like property taxes, income taxes, utilities, Medicare premiums, prescription drugs and other things.

Many benefits go unclaimed simply because people are unaware that the benefits exist. In an effort to shed light on some of the help that is available to low-income seniors, I will write a guest commentary each month about a different senior help program.

Below is a listing of benefits available for low-income seniors that some may not realize are available.

Benefits interviews

Sun City Community Assistance Network provides a variety of free services, but perhaps none is more valuable and appreciated than our benefits assistance program.

This program finds entitlements for our clients. Trained counselors assist low-income residents find and apply for federal, state and local programs. Typically, these are programs the person does not know about.

For instance, few people know:

• That many Arizona widows and widowers are eligible for a reduction of their property taxes.

• That single persons older than 65 with a monthly income less than $1,469 are entitled to free Medicare.

• That some low-income renters older than 65 can get a cash refund on the property taxes their landlord pays on their apartment or house.

Some of the programs that the counselors connect people with include utility discounts, prescription drug plan assistance, food stamps (now called SNAP), Medicare help, Social Security assistance, condo water rebate checks, free fire department lock boxes and others. The counselors also help with Social Security applications, signing up for Medicare and health insurance issues. Low-income residents who are experiencing a documented crisis can also be eligible to have up to $800 paid on their Arizona Public Service bill or $400 on their Southwest Gas bill.

Benefits assistance interviews are simple, they are fast, they are free and they are private.

If you would like to schedule a free benefits assistance interview, call the Sun City CAN office at 623-933-7530. The CAN office is located at 10195 W. Coggins Ave.

You do not have to be a Sun City resident to schedule an appointment!

Editor’s Note: Hugh Duncan is Sun City Community Assistance Network board president.