BRISTOL, Vt. (WCAX) – Are you a Medicare recipient struggling to afford your premium? A new program may save you hundreds of dollars a month.
The Medicare Savings Program, or MSP, is a state and federally funded subsidy that has new eligibility as of January 1st of 2026. If you apply and qualify, the money taken out of your social security check to pay for your Medicare premium will now stay in your pocket. For Bryan Plant of Bristol, it made all the difference.
“That $200 is the difference, can be the difference between, ‘can I fix the car, or do I have to take the bus, or do I eat? Do I not eat? Or does the rent get paid, or am I going to be back out on the streets?,’” said Bryan Plant of Bristol.
Plant is a disabled Vermonter living on a fixed income. He’s got a slew of medical problems, including trouble breathing, back pain, hypertension, and depression.
“It doesn’t take long before the prescriptions, you know, pile up and the co-pays,” said Plant.
When he didn’t have the money to spend, he had to make tough choices about food and getting help.
“For about a year and a half, I wouldn’t go to the doctor unless I absolutely had to,” said Plant. He says thanks to the Medicare Savings Program, he can get the medical help he needs this year.
“In Medicare, out-of-pocket expenses can be quite high and present a real barrier for people to get the care they need,” said Mike Fisher, the state’s designated health care advocate.
He’s a big fan of this newly effective legislation. He says 14,000 Vermonters will be eligible to get a $200-a-month discount on their Plan B Medicare premiums, and many others will see lower prescription costs.
“Everywhere I turn, there’s people losing subsidies or unable to afford the care they need. This is the one good story that’s out there,” said Fisher.
If you’re a senior or disabled individual making around or under $2,685 a month, call 1-800-917-7787 to see if you qualify for the program. You can also find more information on the state’s Medicare savings program web page.
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