Health Insurance & Medical Costs · Surprise rank #157
On Medicare With Limited Income? Extra Help Can Make Your 2026 Part D Premium and Deductible $0
Medicare Extra Help lowers Part D prescription costs for people with limited income and resources.
Who
People with Medicare who meet the program’s income and resource rules; some people qualify automatically through Medicaid, SSI or other qualifying assistance.
What to do
Start here: Check Medicare’s Extra Help page and apply through Social Security if you are not already automatically enrolled.
Eligibility: You need Medicare and must qualify under Extra Help income/resource rules or through an automatic-qualification pathway. Prescription benefits are delivered through a Medicare drug plan.
What you get
Extra Help, also called the Low-Income Subsidy, helps pay Medicare Part D premiums, deductibles and prescription cost sharing.
Benefit: In 2026, qualifying Extra Help beneficiaries have a $0 plan premium, $0 deductible and generally pay no more than $5.10 for a generic or $12.65 for a brand-name covered drug before the later $0-cost phase.
Possible value: Potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars a year depending on the person’s Part D premium and prescription use.
Good to know
Important: Extra Help is for Medicare Part D drug costs, not every medical expense. Drug coverage, formularies and pharmacy-network rules still matter.
Availability: Active; figures shown are for 2026.
Why people miss it: People often assume Medicare drug costs are fixed and do not realize a separate federal subsidy can reduce both the plan cost and prescription copays.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026