Cost Savings & Senior Discounts

Many older adults are eligible for benefits and discounts they never claim, simply because no one told them. This category covers benefits screening and enrollment assistance, prescription savings programs, utility and property tax relief, senior discount programs, and financial assistance resources.

Start with a benefits check. Programs exist for prescription costs, utility bills, property taxes, food assistance, and Medicare premiums — and eligibility thresholds are often higher than people assume. Many who qualify never apply because they believe those programs are for someone worse off than they are.

On prescriptions. Prices for the same medication vary widely between pharmacies. Ask your pharmacist whether the cash price is lower than your copay — sometimes it is. Ask your prescriber about generics or therapeutic alternatives. Manufacturer assistance programs exist for many brand-name drugs.

On property taxes. Most states offer some senior exemption, freeze, or deferral, and most require you to apply — they're not granted automatically.

A word of caution. Real benefit programs do not charge a fee to determine eligibility, and no government agency will call demanding payment to release a benefit you've already earned. If someone offers to get you benefits for an upfront fee, that's the scam, not the service.