Low income Part D beneficiaries stand to lose subsidies on April 1

From the Center for Medicare Advocacy:The Social Security Administration (SSA) has begun mailing “SSAMedicare Prescription Drug Assistance Notice of Termination” letters tosome beneficiaries who are currently receiving the low-income subsidy(LIS) or “Extra Help.”  The letters are being sent to beneficiaries whodid not provide SSA with information it requested to determine theircontinuing eligibility for the LIS.About 76,000 beneficiaries began receiving this mailing during the weekof March 2. Beneficiaries who do not act immediately upon receiving theletter to request an appeal will no longer receive the LIS to pay forPart D premiums and cost-sharing effectiveApril 1.
SSA requested information in September 2007 as part of its formalredetermination process.  The process, which was completed in February,involved multiple attempts by SSA to contact beneficiaries who weresubject to redetermination.  SSA indicates that approximately 80,000people responded to its follow-up contacts; people who responded shouldnot receive the SSA “Medicare Prescription Drug Assistance Notice ofTermination” letter being sent out this week.Beneficiaries who believe they are, or even might still be, eligiblefor the LIS should contact SSA within 10 days of receiving their letterto request an appeal.  If they do so, they can continue receiving LISuntil their appeal has been decided, regardless of whether it isdecided in their favor.
Appeals can be filed after the 10 days but not later than 60 days afterreceiving the SSA letter, but beneficiaries filing after the first 10days will not continue to receive LIS pending their appeal.  LIS mayalso continue for beneficiaries who can show good cause why they didnot file an appeal within 10 days

Source/more:  http://www.medicareadvocacy.org/PartD_08_03.07.LISTermination.htm