Lifeline Utility Assistance and Hearing Aid Help in New Jersey (HAAAD)
Two Programs Most Families Don't Know Exist
Your parent qualifies for PAAD. The NJSave application screened them. What many families miss is that the same application also screened for two other programs that have nothing to do with prescriptions: Lifeline Utility Assistance and Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (HAAAD).
These aren't large dollar amounts, but for a parent living on $1,400 a month in Social Security, $225 toward the electric bill and $1,000 toward hearing aids is real money.
Lifeline Utility Assistance: $225 Per Year
New Jersey's Lifeline program provides an annual credit toward electric and gas bills. For homeowners and tenants who pay their own utilities, the credit is applied directly to their utility account — $225 per year. For tenants whose utilities are included in rent, a comparable rent credit may apply.
Eligibility is tied to participation in other qualifying programs. Your parent automatically qualifies for Lifeline if they receive:
- PAAD
- SSI (Supplemental Security Income)
The NJSave application handles the Lifeline screening. If your parent is approved for PAAD, the Lifeline benefit can be applied without filing a separate application.
If the benefit does not appear, contact NJSave/DoAS at 1-800-792-9745 to check its status.
HAAAD: Up to $1,000 for Hearing Aids
Hearing Aid Assistance to the Aged and Disabled (HAAAD) reimburses up to $500 per hearing aid — $1,000 maximum for a pair — through the Division of Aging Services. Hearing aids typically cost $1,000 to $3,000 each, so the HAAAD reimbursement doesn't cover the full cost, but it brings the out-of-pocket down meaningfully.
Eligibility follows the same income limits as PAAD: under $54,943/year for a single person, under $62,390 for a married couple, and no asset test. Your parent must be 65 or older, or receiving SSDI if under 65.
The process works as reimbursement, not prepayment. Your parent purchases the hearing aids and submits proof of purchase and the required physician certification to DoAS for reimbursement. Keep the receipt and certification with the application.
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How These Fit Into the Bigger Picture
Lifeline and HAAAD are administered by the same Division of Aging Services that runs PAAD and Senior Gold. They share the NJSave intake process, and approval for PAAD often means automatic screening for Lifeline.
For families navigating the full range of New Jersey's Medicare Savings Programs, Extra Help, and state pharmaceutical assistance, knowing about Lifeline and HAAAD means capturing every benefit the NJSave application can unlock — not just the prescription help you applied for.
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Download the New Jersey — Medicare Savings Program Eligibility Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.