Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors Wa

In GOP race, Romney, Perry, Paul are the money men

WASHINGTON (AP) — Only three Republican presidential candidates are worth any money — campaign money, that is. Mitt Romney, Rick Perry and Ron Paul have banked millions. But the other GOP candidates are struggling or broke, putting their candidacies in question four months before the first nominating contests take place.

Ahead of a critical fundraising deadline Friday, all of the GOP's contenders — regardless of the level of their financial health — are furiously courting donors in Texas, Georgia, Washington and elsewhere. It's a last-minute attempt to pick up cash before they file a three-month summary that will measure one aspect of the financial strength of their campaigns.

"With the support of people like you, we will be able to get America back to work again," Romney wrote to his email list Tuesday while he personally pressed donors in New York to pony up.

The candidates' own cash is just part of the picture because, this year, outside groups are allowed to raise and spend unlimited amounts of money to back specific candidates. And allies of Romney, Perry and Paul all have formed so-called SuperPACs to help their preferred candidates win the nomination.

That money aside, Romney is likely to post the strongest fundraising numbers, although his spokeswoman, Andrea Saul, said he'll raise "considerably less" than he did between April and June, his first fundraising quarter as a presidential candidate. In that period he reported gathering $18 million.

Perry donors claim he could hit $10 million, raised since he entered the race early last month. His advisers, however, dispute that. They're lowering expectations either so Perry's haul looks more impressive when it's announced, or it's an indication that the GOP front-runner hasn't seen a flood of money accompany the huge dose of enthusiasm he initially generated.

Paul's campaign asked supporters to celebrate the Texas congressman's Aug. 20 birthday with a donation — and they gave him $1.6 million on that day alone. It's a pattern for Paul, who can seemingly turn on the money spigot when he needs to; his loyal libertarian backers have delivered like that on five occasions, to the tune of a million or more at a time.

Washington State Benefits | FamilyFinancialHelpUSA

Your guide to public services in Washington

Find, understand and implement programs in your state that can help:

This fact sheet describes the programs in your state, helps you decide what you and tells you how to register. Income guidelines, eligibility requirements, and telephone numbers are subject to change. For the most up to date on your zip code zone connect to www.aarp.org / QuickLink.

You can also go to the website Benefits QuickLink (www.aarp.org / QuickLink) to see if you qualify for the benefits listed below or print requests for programs in your state.

Benefit: Health insurance that helps pay for preventive care, doctor visits, hospitalizations and tell the operator where you live. You can also log on to www.socialsecurity.gov and select "Questions about health insurance." For more information about Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) or visit the www.medicare. gov.

For additional assistance, call the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA), also known at the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), toll-free at 1-800-562-6900 or log on to www.insurance.wa.gov/shiba/index.shtml .

Benefit: Pays for some of the costs of Medicare, including the Part B premium, deductibles, and co-payments. How much you get depends on your income and assets.

Who can apply: People who get Medicare and earn around $1,239 per month for one person, or $1,660 per month for a married couple.

How to apply: You must submit a Medicaid application to your Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) Community Services Office. To find a DSHS Community Service Office near you log on to www.dshs.wa.gov or look in the blue state government pages in the phone book. You can also call the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA), also known at the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), toll-free at 1-800-562-6900.

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