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Getting Help

What if I need help paying my Medicare prescription drug costs?

If you have limited income and resources, you may qualify for help to pay some health care and prescription drug costs.


Extra Help is a Medicare program to help people with limited income and resources pay Medicare prescription drug costs. You may qualify for Extra Help if your yearly income and resources are below these limits in 2019:


These amounts may change in 2020. You may qualify even if you have a higher income. Resources include money in a checking or savings account, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs). Resources don't include your home, car, household items, burial pots, up to $1,500 for burial expenses (per person), or life insurance policies.

If you qualify for Extra Help and join a Medicare drug plan, you'll:
  • Get help paying your Medicare drug plan's costs.
  • Have no late enrollment penalty.
Note: Extra Help isn't available in Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa.

Most people with Medicare can only make changes to their drug coverage certain times of the year. If you newly get, lose, or have a change in your Medicaid or Extra Help status, you may get a Special Enrollment Period to change drug plans. Check with your plan for more information.




You automatically qualify for Extra Help if you have Medicare and meet any of these conditions:


  • You have full Medicaid coverage.
  • You get help from your state Medicaid program paying your Part B premiums
  • You get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
To let you know you automatically qualify for Extra Help, Medicare will mail you a purple letter that you should keep for your records. You don't need to apply for Extra Help if you get this letter:
  • If you aren't already in a Medicare drug plan, you must join to use this Extra Help.
  • If you're not enrolled in a Medicare drug plan, Medicare may enroll you in one so that you'll be able to use the Extra Help. If Medicare enrolls you in a plan, you'll get a yellow or green letter letting you know when your coverage begins, and you'll have a Special Enrollment Period to change plans.
  • Different plans cover different drugs. Check to see if the plan you're enrolled in covers the drugs you use and if you can go to the pharmacies you want.
  • If you have Medicaid and live in certain institutions or get home-and-community-based services, you pay nothing for your covered prescription drugs.

If you didn't automatically qualify for Extra Help, you can apply anytime:
Note: When you apply for Extra Help, you also can start your application process for the Medicare Savings Program. These state programs provide help with other Medicare costs. Social Security will send information to your state unless you tell them not to on the Extra Help application.
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