Extra help for chronic conditions · Ohio

Do I qualify for SSBCI?

If you live with diabetes, heart trouble, COPD, kidney disease or another long-term condition, your plan may help pay for groceries, utilities, rent and more. Type your condition below to see if it's on the list.

Search your condition

What SSBCI can help pay for

Everyday help, not just doctor visits.

Healthy food

Groceries that support your health.

Utilities

Help with electric, gas, or water.

Rent & mortgage

Assistance keeping a roof overhead.

Household cleaning

Everyday cleaning supplies.

Personal care items

Hygiene and self-care products.

Haircuts & barber

Barber and salon services.

On CareSource's Next Generation MyCare plan, these come through a monthly Healthy Benefits+ allowance that rolls over if you don't use it all. SSBCI members can spend it on these extra categories. Other plans offer different benefits and amounts.

How it works

Three steps to SSBCI benefits.

1
Have a listed condition
Diagnosed by a doctor and on your medical record.
2
Be in a plan that offers it
Usually a Medicare Advantage or dual special needs plan.
3
The plan verifies you
They confirm you're at high risk and need care coordination. Self-attestation isn't accepted.

The full list

22 qualifying condition groups.

Each bar shows how many common examples are listed for that group. Open a group to see them all.

Autoimmune disorders5+

· Lupus (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus)
· Polyarteritis nodosa
· Polymyositis
· Psoriasis
· Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Cancer3+

· Breast cancer
· Lung cancer
· Prostate cancer

Cardiovascular disorders6+

· Aortic aneurysm / Abdominal aortic aneurysm
· Atrial fibrillation (A-Fib)
· Heart arrhythmias
· Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)
· Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
· Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD)

Chronic alcohol & substance use disorders3+

· Alcohol use disorder
· Cocaine use disorder
· Opioid use disorder

Chronic & disabling mental health conditions5+

· Anxiety
· Bipolar disorder
· Major depressive disorder
· Paranoid disorder
· Schizophrenia

Conditions that impair vision, hearing, taste, touch & smell7+

· Ageusia (loss of taste)
· Anosmia / Hyposmia (loss of smell)
· Cataracts
· Glaucoma
· Diabetic retinopathy
· Macular degeneration
· Deafness (hearing loss)

Chronic gastrointestinal disease3+

· Inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's or ulcerative colitis)
· Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
· Gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)

Chronic heart failure2+

· Congestive heart failure (CHF)
· Systolic or diastolic heart failure

Chronic kidney disease2+

· Stage 1–5 CKD
· End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD)

Chronic lung disorders6+

· Asthma
· Chronic bronchitis
· COPD
· Emphysema
· Pulmonary fibrosis and/or hypertension
· Tuberculosis (TB)

Conditions associated with cognitive impairment2+

· Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)
· Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Conditions that require continued therapy services2+

· Autism spectrum / pervasive developmental disorder
· Intellectual disability

Conditions with functional challenges3+

· Arthritis (impacting mobility)
· Cerebral palsy
· Spinal cord injury

Dementia3+

· Alzheimer's disease
· Frontotemporal dementia (ALS, Pick's disease)
· Lewy body dementia

Diabetes mellitus2+

· Type 1 diabetes
· Type 2 diabetes

HIV/AIDS2+

· HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
· AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome)

Immunodeficiency & immunosuppressive disorders2+

· Primary immunodeficiency (e.g., Common Variable Immunodeficiency)
· Secondary immunodeficiency due to medications (e.g., corticosteroids)

Neurologic disorders5+

· Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
· Epilepsy
· Extensive paralysis (hemiplegia, quadriplegia, paraplegia)
· Multiple sclerosis
· Parkinson's disease

Overweight, obesity & metabolic syndrome2+

· BMI over 30 (obesity)
· Chronic metabolic syndrome

Post-organ transplantation3+

· Heart transplant
· Kidney transplant
· Liver transplant

Severe hematologic disorders5+

· Hemophilia
· Sickle cell disease
· Leukemia
· Lymphoma
· Von Willebrand disease

Stroke3+

· Hemorrhagic stroke (bleeds)
· Ischemic stroke (clots)
· Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)

Substance use disorder benefits may have extra rules. List from CareSource Next Generation MyCare (Ohio); other plans' lists vary.

SSBCI questions, answered.

What is SSBCI?

SSBCI stands for Special Supplemental Benefits for the Chronically Ill. These are extra benefits some Medicare Advantage and dual special needs plans offer to members with certain chronic conditions, such as allowances for healthy food, utilities, rent, and personal care items.

If my condition is on the list, do I automatically qualify?

No. Having a listed condition does not automatically qualify you. The plan must verify your eligibility using CMS criteria, generally that you are at high risk of hospitalization and need intensive care coordination. Self-attestation is not accepted.

Which conditions can qualify for SSBCI in Ohio?

On CareSource's Ohio MyCare plan, qualifying groups include diabetes, heart failure, cardiovascular disorders like high blood pressure and A-Fib, COPD and other lung disorders, chronic kidney disease, cancer, stroke, dementia, mental health conditions, obesity, neurologic disorders, and more. Use the search on this page to check your condition.

Do all Medicare plans offer SSBCI benefits?

No. SSBCI benefits, amounts, and condition lists vary by plan and change each year. The list on this page comes from CareSource's Next Generation MyCare plan. David can compare which plans near you offer these benefits.

How do I get SSBCI benefits?

First you need to be enrolled in a plan that offers them. Then the plan reviews your medical records to confirm you qualify. Call David at (234) 380-6282 and he'll help you find a plan and walk you through the next steps at no cost.

Ask David if you qualify More Medicare FAQs →