What is Extra Help and how much can it save me?
Extra Help is a federal Social Security program that lowers what people with Medicare pay for prescription drugs, and Social Security estimates it is worth about $6,000 a year to the average person who gets it, because it covers the Part D drug plan premium and deductible and caps what you pay at the pharmacy counter.
What this means
- Part D is the part of Medicare that pays for medicines you pick up at a pharmacy, and Extra Help is the subsidy that pays most of your share of it.
- With full Extra Help you pay no monthly premium for a basic drug plan, no yearly deductible, and only a small fixed amount for each prescription.
- Extra Help is decided by Social Security, not by your drug plan, and your plan cannot turn you down for it.
- If you already have Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income, or a Medicare Savings Program, you get Extra Help automatically and do not need to apply.
What to do first
- Apply online at the Social Security Extra Help application, or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask them to take the application over the phone.
- Have your bank and investment balances handy, because the application asks about savings as well as income.
- If you are turned down, ask your State Health Insurance Assistance Program counselor to review the decision with you before you give up.
- Apply for a Medicare Savings Program at the same time, since being approved for one automatically gives you Extra Help.
Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI)
Your state pays your Medicare Part B premium, and sometimes your deductibles and copays too.
Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs (Low-Income Subsidy)
Cuts your prescription costs to a few dollars a drug and removes your Part D premium and deductible.
SHIP: Free, Unbiased Medicare Counseling
A trained local counselor who compares your Medicare options with you and sells nothing.
What you'll need
- Income information for you and your spouse
- A list of your medications and their doses
- Social Security number
- Medicare card
- Social Security award letter
- Proof of address
- Statements for stocks, bonds, or retirement accounts
- Bank statements
- Bank account balances
- Proof of income for everyone in the household
- Your current plan information
Deadlines and timing
- There is no deadline. You can apply any month of the year, and you can reapply if your income or savings drop.
- Getting Extra Help gives you a special enrollment period, so you can change drug plans outside the usual fall window.
- Nobody should ever charge you to fill out this application. It is free.
Where to go
- Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, QI): https://www.medicaid.gov/about-us/where-can-people-get-help-medicaid-chip
- Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs (Low-Income Subsidy): https://www.ssa.gov/locator
- SHIP: Free, Unbiased Medicare Counseling: https://www.shiphelp.org/SHIPs/
Reviewed by Jason Burns, Editorial Steward · Last verified August 25, 2026
Sources
- Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs · Social Security Administration
- Apply for Extra Help · Social Security Administration
Every program on this site is free to apply for. Anyone who asks you to pay to apply, or to “unlock” a government benefit, is a scam — hang up and call Senior Medicare Patrol or 211.
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