Introduction to the Mississippi Apology Letter
What Is the Purpose of This Letter?
In September 2008, some Mississippi residents with Medicare received two mailings from
CMS. The first was a purple letter (CMS Publication No. 11166) that correctly said
they automatically qualified for Extra Help (also called the "Low Income Subsidy") in 2009.
The second mailing was a grey letter that incorrectly said they would NOT automatically
qualify for Extra Help in 2009 (CMS Publication No. 11198). These letters were contradictory
and confusing.
CMS is mailing the Mississippi Apology Letter on pink paper to the people who received the
grey letter in error. The letter apologizes for the confusion, and confirms that they do
still qualify for Extra Help in 2009.
Who Gets This Letter?
Approximately 62,000 people in Mississippi will get this letter.
When Do People Get This Letter?
This letter was mailed on or around September 26, 2008.
What Should People Do Next?
People don’t need to do anything. They still automatically qualify for Extra Help in 2009.
They should keep the pink letter for their records, and call 1-800-MEDICARE
(1-800-633-4227) with questions. TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. People can also
contact the Mississippi Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (MICAP) at
1-800-948-3090 for free personalized counseling.
People can reference CMS Publication No. 11393 when calling Medicare or MICAP with
questions about this notice.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244-1850
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Important Information from Medicare
About Your Extra Help with Drug Costs
You may have gotten two letters on colored paper from Medicare recently. The
first letter was printed on purple pape