6 Freebies for Disabled People on SSI or SSDI

Who Doesn't Like Free Stuff?

If you are disabled and receive either SSI or SSDI, there may be a host of free products and services available to you. If you are in need of help, the following programs can provide you with benefits ranging from free toothpaste to free refrigerators to free park passes. Links for each benefit are also provided where relevant to help you on your way to getting your freebies. Let's take a look at some of the no-cost benefits you might be eligible for.

1. Free Food

If you receive both Medicare and Medicaid, also known as a dual special needs program, you might be eligible to receive over $1,300 each year in free food credits to use at popular supermarkets across the United States. Health insurance providers such as United Healthcare Community Plan of Ohio and others, such as Aetna Medicare Solutions provide up to $110 per month to each insured member to buy healthy food such as: fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish, as well as eggs, cheese, milk and other dairy products.

If you live in a food desert where fresh produce is not available, the credits can also be used to buy frozen and canned food at stores such as Dollar General. Some of the chain stores that the food credits can be spent at include Walmart and Kroger. Walmart also has an online version of the program that works with United Healthcare Community Plan. It allows insured members to order their foods online, pay with their free food credits, and have the food delivered to their home.

This is one of the best freebies around and serves as a great alternative or supplement to food stamps.

If you receive both Medicare and Medicaid, please check with your healthcare provider to see if they provide a healthy food benefit card!

2. Free Over-the-Counter Health Products

If you are covered by both Medicare and Medicaid due to having very low income or SSI/SSDI, chances are your healthcare plan has an over-the-counter benefit available to you. For example, the Molina Dual Options of Ohio program provides an annual $240 benefit to members that allows them to order from a large variety of health products at no charge and have the items delivered to their home. Some of the products you can get for free include . . .

• equipment, like bathroom scales, blood pressure monitors, heating pads, electric toothbrushes, and shower benches.
• vitamins and supplements, like fish oil, stress tablets, multivitamins, and glucosamine chondroitin MSM tablets.
• allergy remedies and acid reducers, like cough syrup, sore throat lozenges, and antacids.
• pain relievers, like ibuprofen, aspirin, acetaminophen, and analgesic rubs.
• digestive health products, like milk of magnesia and laxatives.
• dental care products, like toothpaste, oral pain relief gel, floss, and denture adhesive.
• first-aid products, like bandages, gauze, and antibiotic ointment.

Some states that offer this benefit have a printed catalog or website from which you can order the free products you need. Others offer a benefits card that you can take to participating pharmacies. You generally will not be charged any tax or shipping fees on these OTC items.

Some of the state programs that offer this type of free OTC merchandise coverage are Wellcare Staywell of Florida, ArchCare Advantage of New York, and Amerigroup STAR+PLUS MMP of Texas.

This freebie helps you, but it also helps taxpayers and the medical industry. Providing for basic medical aids such as pain relievers and fever reducers keeps costs lower by eliminating unnecessary and costly trips to the emergency room.

To see if you qualify for this benefit, contact customer service at your healthcare plan and ask if they have an OTC benefit for participants with dual Medicaid and Medicare enrollment.

3. Free Energy-Efficient Home Appliances

The United States Department of Energy has a Home Weatherization program available to certain low-income citizens in all US states and territories. Priority is given to homes that have a resident who receives SSI. The weatherization program provides government grants for free replacement of broken furnaces and energy-inefficient refrigerators and deep freezers in your home. This program can also provide roof repairs, window replacements, and HVAC fixes with the goal of making low-income Americans' homes more energy-efficient. All of this may be free to you.

The Home Weatherization Program has many goals. It helps the government maintain existing housing, creates economic activity by providing employment to contractors across the country, and helps private citizens lower their energy and housing costs.

4. Free Smartphone and Phone Service

If you live within poverty guidelines on SSI or SSDI, you are likely eligible for a free phone with service. The old "Obamaphone" program has become more generous, with cell phone carriers now providing up to 1000 free minutes per month as well as unlimited texts.

In the past, many carriers had limited free talk time to 250 minutes. This is welcome news to low-income folks who need enough minutes to talk to doctors and service providers and to keep in contact with family. Participants were previously limited to candy bar or flip-style phones, but carriers are now starting to offer smartphones as well. To enjoy this low-income benefit, try Q Link Wireless. They offer a free smartphone, 1000 minutes, 1GB data, and unlimited texts each and every month.

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5. Free Broadband Internet Service

If you are currently living on SSI or SSDI income in HUD-assisted housing (or are planning to live in one of these settings), a government initiative called ConnectHome Nation might be bringing free internet service to your location.

ConnectHome Nation currently provides free and low-cost internet service to communities in a number of cities. They are currently working on a national initiative to expand free and deeply reduced-cost broadband internet to 350,000 households in over 100 American communities.

Currently, they provide internet to HUD communities in cities including Atlanta, GA; Baltimore, MD; Baton Rouge, LA; Boston, MA; Camden, NJ; Cleveland, OH; Denver, CO; Kansas City, MO; Los Angeles, CA; Memphis, TN; Nashville, TN; New Orleans, LA; New York, NY; Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; San Antonio, TX; Seattle, WA; Tampa, FL; and Washington, DC.

Even if you don't currently reside in one of these areas, it's worth checking whether the program may be available in your community. To see if you can get free or reduced-cost internet in your zip code, visit ConnectHome nation's website.

6. Free Federal Recreational Lands Pass

The United States government encourages all citizens to explore the country's beautiful landscapes at over 2,000 Forest Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and US Fish and Wildlife Service sites. These sites offer sightseeing, fishing, sporting, walking, hiking, riding, picnicking, and other opportunities. If you are an SSI or SSDI recipient, you can enjoy free access to all of these recreational areas using your complimentary Federal Recreational Lands Access Pass.

In contrast, a non-disabled annual pass usually costs around $80 per year. A single-day visit to one of these sites without a pass costs around $20 per person, so the benefit is extremely valuable to those looking for travel, leisure, and wilderness education on the cheap. The disabled persons' Access Pass is good for a lifetime, so the benefits can very easily add up to over $1,000 in value. Your pass also allows you to waive entrance fees for up to three guests, so if you have family, are in a wheelchair, have a caretaker, or just want to bring a friend along with you, they are covered too.

Some of the most popular sites you can visit for free include:

• Grand Canyon National Park
• Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site
• Yellowstone National Park
• Colorado National Monument
• Yosemite National Park

Many sites, including Rocky Mountain National Park, Statue of Liberty National Park, Denali National Park and Reserve, Yellowstone National Park, Congaree National Park, and Frederick Meijer Garden and Sculpture Park, have ADA-accessible handicap-friendly tours, so you can visit even if you have a physical disability that limits your mobility.

To apply for the free lifetime Access Pass, you will need to document your disability by visiting one of the sites and bringing a letter from Social Security regarding your receipt of SSI or SSDI. To find out about sites that accept the Access Pass near you, visit the United States Government's recreation site.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

© 2018 Stove And Home

Comments

Stove And Home (author) on August 30, 2020:

Each program has its guidelines and rules, so you would want to check out the links to find out specific rules as they will vary per organization. For the OTC benefit, if your healthcare plan offers one, they will let you know if you can order online, by mail, phone, or in a store.

Stove And Home (author) on August 30, 2020:

Margaret, you would need to follow the links/information for each referred program to get benefits from them. I don't think new handles would be covered, but low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators probably would.

Margaret Tomlin on August 30, 2020:

Do we just show our medicare card or Medicaid just to get in these places, do I go to my local pharmacy and and get the things I need and just show these cards?

Margaret Tomlin on August 30, 2020:

How to sign up due to covid I need alot of stuff? Plus I need handles for my bathtub and shower so they give those free?

Stove And Home (author) on October 08, 2019:

Which program?

Jamie Russell22 on October 08, 2019:

Will this program let you live in a single family home?

Stove And Home (author) on July 14, 2019:

Hi, you can try the CHIP repair program, which takes a while to get approval. For low cost help you can see if your local county Community Action Program has repair services. Best of luck to you.

debmart on July 13, 2019:

Anyone know of any agencies or anything I can do to find free help to do the entire outside painting of my house and outbuilding which is 2 story but other than trim will be easy to paint, siding, fascia, and soffit work install a brand new storm door some other various jobs too around my house due to of course all my promised help bailed when called them out on the promises. Jerks!! Not in my life any longer thats a fact. I have all the materials, tools and some cheaters too just to make things go as easy as possible. I can help some here and there just not much. I do have painting inside also and restaining in certain spots fr now just for looks purposes, I have way to much to move and not ner the money to do my wood floors right but inside can wait and I can get to that slowly and whenever no biggy there. Any help is greatly appreciated at tis point, been waiting nearly a year already. Everything local, everywhere have been told to call and ask have turned e down flat all want big money that I do not have. What I did have is in materials. Sorry for the book here

Stove And Home (author) on April 17, 2019:

I looked it up for you. It looks like you might be looking for MassHealth plus Medicare, which is called One Care.

James ceurvels on April 16, 2019:

When you say Medicaid and Medicare does that include MassHealth is that part of it

Stove And Home (author) on January 14, 2019:

Food stamps would be very good for your large household. If you are on Medicaid as well as Medicare your drug premiums should become very low. Please check my listed programs above for help as well with free OTC medical products, free cell phones, and low cost to free internet.

Stove And Home (author) on January 14, 2019:

Since you are limited in your ability to make money and still keep your monthly benefits, it would be best to enlist another person in your household with making extra money. Sites like eBay, Craigslist, and even a yard sale can help infuse extra cash into your household. Non-cash benefits such as SNAP can help your household without reducing your ability to get SSI.

jay1diggy on January 13, 2019:

Im diabled and need help with home apliance's with internet cell phone and labtop hopefully tv ' im a father of 6 children and really need help with paying for medications also its very hard on me with 1 check a month trying to be a great father and take great care of my children alone ' can someone help or lead me in the right direction

Lindell Tenpenny on January 13, 2019:

Im on ssi what can i get to help me money wise?

Stove And Home (author) on October 13, 2018:

You will need to be on SSI or SSDI. You will usually need to fill out some paperwork and have your income statement from Social Security available. You can follow the links beneath each freebie listed in the article to find out more about qualifying for each one.

Sherene Clark on October 12, 2018:

How do i qualify for freebies