West Virginia

Social Security Announces 1.3 Percent Benefit Increase for 2021

     News Release

Voting Access for People with Disabilities

DRWV October newsletter.pdf

Medicare Fraud - Prevent, Detect, Report

     Senior Medicare Patrol

Application for COVID Testing Coverage

Covid 19 Testing Medicaid Coverage.pdf

Extended Equitable Relief for Medicare Premiums due to COVID-19 Pandemic

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an extended equitable relief period for beneficiaries who are unable to pay their premiums because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.  CMS is still encouraging beneficiaries to pay their premiums on time, however, they are giving beneficiaries who are unable to pay due to the pandemic until September 30, 2020 to pay their premiums without terminating their coverage.

Press Release

Local Social Security offices are closed during the pandemic, but they are available to help you over the phone. This link will take you to the Social Security Office Locator where you can find the phone number for your local office.

County Clerk offices are in the process of mailing the 2020 Primary Election COVID-19 Mail-In Absentee Ballot Requests to all registered voters in West Virginia. The mailer includes the absentee ballot application and outlines the process.  However, the mailer does not include the option to apply for an electronic absentee ballot. You may vote by an electronic absentee ballot due to: 

· A physical disability that prevents an individual from voting in person, and

· From voting a paper ballot without assistance.  

If you are eligible and would like to apply for an electronic absentee ballot:

· Download the absentee application at http://GoVoteWV.com or request it from your County Clerk.

· Follow the instructions on the application.  Be sure to check the box to vote electronically and to enter your email address.

· Submit your application to your County Clerk by mail, fax or email.

A County Clerk directory is available at http://GoVoteWV.com. You may also call the Secretary of State at 866-767-8683 for County Clerk information. 

Follow this link that will show you how to apply for an electronic absentee ballot for Persons with Physical Disabilities in WV and will also demonstrate how to submit an electronic absentee ballot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIPhMFslQY4&t=

For more information about your right to vote, please contact Disability Rights of West Virginia at 1-800-950-5250, https://www.drofwv.org/. 

If someone drew Social Security (SSDI, retirement, Widow's, SSI) in 2018 or 2019 but did not file taxes due to income being below tax filing thresholds, they will still automatically receive the Economic Impact Payments without having to do anything and the payment will be deposited to the account in which they receive their Social Security checks.

However, if they have qualifying children under 17, it is recommended that they go to the IRS’ new webtool for Non-Filers to enter their information so they can also claim/receive the dependent child payments.

Also, if someone did not file taxes in 2018 or 2019 and did not start drawing Social Security benefits until 2020, they will need to go to the IRS’s Non-Filers website to enter their information to receive a payment.

Please see the below link from Social Security for further information about these updates. As a reminder, Social Security and the IRS are not going to call individuals regarding their Economic Impact Payments such calls are scams! The only official place to get information/file for payment for non-filers is the IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments. This is also the place for people to go to see if they are eligible for a payment, and soon to check the status of your Economic Impact Payment.

SAMHSA’s (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7, 365-day-a-year crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.

The Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990 is a 24/7, 365-day-a-year, national hotline dedicated to providing immediate crisis counseling for people who are experiencing emotional distress related to any natural or human-caused disaster. This toll-free, multilingual, and confidential crisis support service is available to all residents in the United States and its territories. Stress, anxiety, and other depression-like symptoms are common reactions after a disaster. Call 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 to connect with a trained crisis counselor. 

The West Virginia Aging & Disability Resource Network (ADRN) and our partner agencies are a bridge to available resources to assist you and your family with questions about long-term care services and supports that may allow you or your loved one to remain at home and active in the community for as long as possible.  At the ADRN, you will find professionally trained staff that can answer your questions about programs and other resources available in your area, how to access these services, and can also assist you in applying for those programs and supports that best suit your independent living and long-term care needs.