Medicare by State
Free Medicare Help New Jersey: SHIP, Savings Programs, PAAD and Senior Gold
New Jersey SHIP offers free Medicare counseling in all 21 counties at 1-800-792-8820. One NJSave application covers Medicare Savings Programs up to $21,546 a year for a single person, Extra Help, and PAAD drug help for incomes under $54,943.
- NJ SHIP counselors are reached at 1-800-792-8820, with counseling sites in all 21 counties.
- The 2026 single income limits are $15,960 for QMB, $19,152 for SLMB and $21,546 for QI, with a $9,950 asset limit.
- PAAD covers single residents with 2026 income under $54,943, with $5 generic and $7 brand-name copays.
- NJSave enrolls you in the MSPs, Extra Help, PAAD and Senior Gold through one application.
Table of Contents
Free Medicare help New Jersey residents can get is unusually well connected. The state’s free counseling program, NJ SHIP, has sites in all 21 counties, and one online application, NJSave, screens you for the Medicare Savings Programs, Extra Help and New Jersey’s own drug programs, PAAD and Senior Gold, at the same time. This guide covers each program with the 2026 figures from the Division of Aging Services, a worked example, how to apply, and where to report Medicare fraud.
Free Medicare help New Jersey offers through SHIP
New Jersey’s State Health Insurance Assistance Program, often called NJ SHIP, is run by the Department of Human Services. Its official page says it provides free help to New Jersey Medicare beneficiaries with questions or problems about health insurance. Counselors offer:
- Free counseling on Medicare benefits, claims and Medigap policies.
- Help evaluating your health insurance options.
- Plan comparison charts for Medigap, Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans.
The page is clear about limits: counselors give information only. They don’t give legal advice, and they don’t recommend or sell any product, company or plan.
How to reach a counselor. Call the statewide line at 1-800-792-8820. The state says counseling sites have been set up in all 21 counties. To find yours, contact the lead counseling agency for your area or call your County Office on Aging. Counseling can happen by phone, virtually or in person.
Our New Jersey life insurance guide touches on SHIP briefly, and our guide to Medicare supplements under 65 in New Jersey covers Medigap rules for people with disabilities. This page focuses on the programs that cut your costs.
Medicare Savings Program New Jersey limits for 2026
The Medicare Savings Program New Jersey offers has three levels. The Division of Aging Services’ MSP page says QMB pays Part A and Part B premiums plus deductibles, coinsurance and copays for covered services, while SLMB and QI pay Part B premiums. Unlike most states, New Jersey publishes the limits as yearly amounts:
| Program | Single, yearly income | Couple, yearly income | Assets (single / couple) |
|---|---|---|---|
| QMB | $15,960 | $21,640 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| SLMB | $19,152 | $25,968 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
| QI | $21,546 | $29,214 | $9,950 / $14,910 |
Figures are from the New Jersey Division of Aging Services for 2026 and are shown for illustration only. They are not quotes or offers, and they can change. Confirm current numbers with the Division of Aging Services or a licensed agent.
Divided by 12, the single limits work out to $1,330 a month for QMB, $1,596 for SLMB and $1,795.50 for QI. The state page lists asset limits for all three levels, so New Jersey still applies an asset test to the Medicare Savings Program New Jersey residents apply for.
PAAD NJ and Senior Gold: state drug help
New Jersey runs two drug programs of its own, both for residents who are 65 or older, or 18 to 64 and receiving Social Security Title II disability benefits.
PAAD (Pharmaceutical Assistance to the Aged and Disabled). The state’s PAAD page says your 2026 income must be less than $54,943 if single or $62,390 if married. Copays are $5 per covered generic and $7 per covered brand-name prescription. Medicare-eligible members must enroll in a Part D plan, and PAAD pays the premium for certain standard plans at or below the regional benchmark. You can’t get PAAD NJ coverage if you receive Medicaid or have drug coverage equal to or better than PAAD.
Keep an eye on renewals. The state says most PAAD NJ members renew every two years, though some must renew yearly. A renewal form arrives about four months before your card expires; if it hasn’t come at least two months before, call the PAAD line. Because PAAD’s income limit is far higher than the Medicare Savings Program New Jersey limits, many people who earn too much for an MSP may still qualify for PAAD, as long as they meet its other rules, such as not having Medicaid or better drug coverage.
Senior Gold. The Senior Gold page covers people just above PAAD: 2026 income of $54,943 to $64,943 if single, or $62,390 to $72,390 if married. Members pay $15 plus 50% of the remaining cost of each covered drug. After out-of-pocket costs pass $2,000 (single) or $3,000 (married) in a year, the copay drops to a flat $15.
| Program | Single, 2026 income | Married, 2026 income | What you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAAD | Less than $54,943 | Less than $62,390 | $5 generic / $7 brand |
| Senior Gold | $54,943 to $64,943 | $62,390 to $72,390 | $15 plus 50% of the remaining cost |
Figures are from the New Jersey Division of Aging Services for 2026 and are shown for illustration only. They are not quotes or offers, and they can change. Confirm current numbers with the PAAD hotline at 1-800-792-9745 or a licensed agent.
Extra Help with Part D costs
Extra Help, the federal Part D Low-Income Subsidy, lowers drug plan premiums, deductibles and copays. Medicare.gov says you get it automatically with full Medicaid, SSI or a Medicare Savings Program paying your Part B premium. Its 2026 limits are $23,940 in yearly income and $18,090 in resources for an individual, or $32,460 and $36,100 for a married couple. For 2027, it lists copays of up to $5.80 per generic and $14.40 per brand-name drug.
In New Jersey, you don’t need a separate Extra Help form if you use NJSave, because the Division of Aging Services lists the Low Income Subsidy among the programs NJSave enrolls you in. Our guides to Medicare Extra Help and Medicare Part D explain how the subsidy works with a drug plan.
Hypothetical example: QI plus PAAD in Trenton
Hypothetical example. Joan, 74, lives alone in Trenton. Her Social Security and a small pension total $20,000 a year, and she has $7,000 in savings. She pays the 2026 Part B premium of $202.90 a month, according to the CMS fact sheet.
- SLMB single limit: $19,152. Joan’s $20,000 is above it.
- QI single limit: $21,546. Joan is under it.
- Savings of $7,000 are under the $9,950 asset limit.
- Her $20,000 income is also under the $54,943 PAAD limit.
If approved for QI, the state pays her Part B premium: $202.90 × 12 = $2,434.80 a year, and she gets Extra Help automatically. With PAAD’s $5 generic copay, four generic prescriptions a month would cost her 4 × $5 × 12 = $240 a year.
This is an illustration, not an eligibility decision. If your income is much higher than Joan’s, the Medicare IRMAA calculator shows whether you owe more than the standard premium.
How to apply for free Medicare help New Jersey programs
New Jersey makes this simpler than most states. The NJSave page says one application covers:
- PAAD and the Senior Gold Prescription Discount Program.
- The Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB and QI).
- The Medicare Part D Low Income Subsidy (Extra Help).
- Lifeline Utility Assistance and Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled.
NJSave also screens for some other aid, such as SNAP and energy help, and forwards you if you appear eligible. To apply:
- Online: use the Apply Online for NJSave link on the state page, in English or Spanish.
- On paper: download the English or Spanish paper application and instructions.
- By phone: call 1-800-792-9745 with questions.
- In person: get help at your county Area Agency on Aging or SHIP office.
If you aren’t on Medicare yet, use our Medicare enrollment calculator to find your window. Sitting down with an NJ SHIP counselor to complete NJSave is often the most useful free Medicare help New Jersey offers.
Reporting Medicare fraud in New Jersey
The Senior Medicare Patrol of New Jersey is run by JFS of Middlesex County. It helps people prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse, and helps resolve billing disputes. Call toll-free 1-877-767-4359 (877-SMP-4359). The state SHIP page also lists 1-732-777-1940, ext. 1117, for reports of Medicare or Medicaid waste, fraud or abuse.
Medicare.gov takes reports at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), and I-MEDIC handles Medicare Advantage and drug plan issues at 1-877-772-3379. Be wary of anyone offering cash or gifts for free care.
Free Medicare help New Jersey checklist
- Call NJ SHIP at 1-800-792-8820 or your County Office on Aging.
- Compare your yearly income with the state’s MSP table.
- Check assets against $9,950 (single) or $14,910 (couple).
- If your income is under $54,943 (single) or $62,390 (married), check PAAD; if a little higher, check Senior Gold.
- Apply once through NJSave, online or on paper.
- Renew PAAD and Senior Gold on time; renewal forms arrive about four months before your card expires.
- Report suspicious calls or bills to SMP at 1-877-767-4359.
Free Medicare help New Jersey: frequently asked questions
What is the NJ SHIP phone number?
1-800-792-8820. Counseling sites operate in all 21 counties.
What are the 2026 Medicare Savings Program limits in New Jersey?
Yearly income up to $15,960 single for QMB, $19,152 for SLMB and $21,546 for QI, with an asset limit of $9,950 single or $14,910 for a couple.
What is the PAAD income limit for 2026?
Less than $54,943 if single or $62,390 if married, according to the Division of Aging Services.
What does PAAD cost?
$5 per covered generic and $7 per covered brand-name prescription.
How do I apply for PAAD and the Medicare Savings Programs?
Use NJSave, online or on paper. It covers PAAD, Senior Gold, the MSPs and Extra Help. Questions go to 1-800-792-9745.
Does NJ SHIP sell insurance?
No. The state says counselors don’t recommend or sell any product, company or plan.
Talk to a licensed agent after you check your options
Octans Insurance is an independent agency based in Massachusetts. Our licensed agents compare plans from 120+ carriers at no fee to you, and we’re glad to work alongside your SHIP counselor. Call (617) 935-9220. For free, unbiased counseling, call New Jersey SHIP at 1-800-792-8820, or call 1-800-MEDICARE.
Keep Reading: Related Guides
- Life insurance in New Jersey
- Medicare Extra Help
- Medicare IRMAA calculator
- Medicare enrollment calculator
- Medicare Supplement rates in New Jersey
- Medicare Advantage plans in New Jersey (2027)
- New Jersey Medicaid burial rules
- Unclaimed life insurance in New Jersey
We do not offer every plan available in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your options.
This article is for general information and is not tax, legal, or medical advice.
About examples and tools: Hypothetical examples, sample rates, calculators and quizzes on this site are for general educational and illustrative purposes only. They are not quotes, offers of coverage, or guarantees of eligibility, approval, price or benefits, and they are not legal, tax, financial or medical advice. The insurance company decides eligibility and price; Medicare rules are set by CMS and the Social Security Administration. Octans Insurance is not connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program.
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