There’s a Medicare “Extra Help” program provided by the Social Security Administration which helps with prescription drug costs. The program helps low income individuals pay their Medicare prescription (Part D) drug coverage, like premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs. Everyone who qualifies for the Extra Help program will pay: $0 for their Medicare drug plan premium, $0 for their plan deductible, and a reduced amount for both generic and brand-name drugs.

If you were receiving this program last year and continue to meet the eligibility guidelines, you will be automatically enrolled and not need to reapply.

Eligibility is income based. Your annual income must be below $21,870 for an individual, or $29,580 for a married couple in 2023. Any additional resources must be below $16,600 for an individual, or $33,240 for a married couple. “Additional Resources” are defined as any money in a checking, savings, or retirement account, stocks, and bonds. “Additional Resources” don’t include your home, car, furniture, and other household and personal items, as well as burial plots, or up to $1,500 in burial expenses if you’ve put that money aside. These limits can change each year.

Even if you don’t qualify for the Social Security Extra Help program now, you can reapply for any time if your income and resources change. The application is available on the Social Security website.

After you complete the application, Social Security will review it send you a letter to let you know if you qualify. Once you qualify, you can choose a Medicare Extra Help Program plan. If you qualify and don’t select a plan, Medicare will select a plan for you. You can get more information about the program on the Social Security website, or by calling 1 (800) 772-1213 if you need help filling out the application.

There is a flyer available for download about the program to share details with interested parties.

You can find more resources related to medicare prescription drug assistance by selecting the “Financial Resources“, “Medication Issues“, and or the “Medicaid & Medicare” insurance category tab on our “Social Service Utilization Library” page.