Extra Help is a federal low income subsidy (LIS) program that assists with prescription drug plan premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments.

Anyone who has Medicare is eligible to apply, however, in order to qualify you must meet certain income and resource limits. Those who do qualify typically save several thousand dollars per year on average with Generic drug costs typically $4.50 each or less and Brand Name drug costs $11.20 each or less in 2024.

While many people are required to contact the Social Security Administration in order to apply or see if they qualify, others are automatically enrolled into Extra Help and will receive either a purple or yellow letter from Medicare informing them of this. You may also know you have automatically qualified for the program if before your Medicare effective date you receive a card in the mail with information about your prescription drug plan (PDP) and/or the Limited Income NET program (temporary prescription drug coverage). The card will come from a private insurance company and typically becomes effective on the same date that your Medicare coverage begins.

For those that are not automatically enrolled into Extra Help, please review the Income & Resource limits found below to see if you may qualify.