What is Extra Help, and do I qualify?
Extra Help is a Medicare program for people with limited income and resources. It helps pay Part D drug plan premiums, deductibles and other costs.
Don't know a word? Press any purple word to see what it means. They're all listed at the bottom of the page.
Goes deeper on: How does a Medicare Advantage plan work? (Medicare Clarity Guide)
The short version
- You qualify automatically if you have full-benefit Medicaid, help from your state paying your Part B premiums, or SSI.
- Others apply at SSA.gov. You can also get help at no cost from your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP).
- If you get Extra Help, you pay no Part D late enrollment penalty.
- The limits below are for 2026.
The 2026 limits
| 2026 | Income limit | Resource limit |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | $23,940 | $18,090 |
| Married couple | $32,460 | $36,100 |
Check Medicare.gov for the limits in the current year.
What you pay with Extra Help in 2027
| 2027 with Extra Help | You pay |
|---|---|
| Plan premium | $0 in some plans. In others, you pay part of it. |
| Deductible | $0 (for the plans Medicare.gov describes) |
| Each generic drug | Up to $5.80 |
| Each brand-name drug | Up to $14.40 |
| Once total drug costs reach $2,400 | $0 for covered drugs |
The $2,400 is the same figure as the Part D yearly cap.
Check first whether you're already in. If you have full-benefit Medicaid, state help with your Part B premiums, or SSI, you qualify automatically.
How prescriptions fit into a Medicare Advantage plan is in step 4 of our Medicare guide.
Your next step
A licensed support agent can point you to where to apply.
No obligation. You can request help from one of our licensed support agents at any time.
See My Personalized OptionsWords on this page
- Deductible
- What you pay yourself first, before the plan starts paying its share.
- Extra Help
- A Medicare program that helps people with limited income and savings pay for drugs.
- Medicare Advantage
- A private plan you can choose instead. It bundles coverage and has a yearly out-of-pocket limit.
- Part D
- Medicare's coverage for prescription drugs. It's its own plan, or built into some Medicare Advantage plans.
Sources
All 2 checked October 7, 2026.