Extra Help (LIS) is a federal program that reduces the costs of Medicare prescription drug coverage for people with limited income and resources. It helps pay for monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription copayments, making medications more affordable. Those who qualify may also be protected from the Part D late enrollment penalty. Extra Help is administered through Social Security and can save beneficiaries thousands of dollars each year on drug costs.
What is
Extra Help?
Extra Help is a Medicare program to help people with limited income and resources to help pay Medicare drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs.
​You also won't have to pay a Part D late enrollment penalty while you get Extra Help.
​Some people qualify for Extra Help automatically, and other people have to apply.
Who Should Apply for
Extra Help?
In most cases, to qualify for Extra Help, you must have income and resources below a certain limit. These limits may go up each year.
Income and resource limits in 2025
What You'll Pay Under
Extra Help 2025
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​Plan Premium: $0
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Plan Deductible: $0
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Prescriptions you fill at one of your plan's participating pharmacies:
Once your total drug costs (including certain payments made on your behalf, like through the Extra Help program) reach $2,000, you’ll pay $0 for each covered drug.
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Up to $4.90 for each generic drug
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Up to $12.15 for each brand-name drug
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People Who Won’t Automatically be Eligible for the LIS
Each September, SSA will mail a notice (CMS Publication No. 11198) (PDF) on GRAY PAPER to people who’ll no longer automatically get the LIS. This notice is a LIS application, and it includes a postage-paid pre-addressed envelope. These people may still qualify for the LIS, but they will need to send in a new application. The gray notice:
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Tells the person why they no longer automatically qualify for the LIS
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Encourages them to fill out and send in a LIS application
People Who'll Have a Change to Their LIS
Co-Payment
In early October, SSA will mail a notice (CMS Publication No. 11199) (PDF) on ORANGE PAPER to people who’ll qualify for extra help, but will have a change to their co-payment.
People Who Will Be Reassigned to a New Plan
In early November, SSA will mail a notice on BLUE PAPER (CMS Publication No. 11208) (PDF) to people who qualify for the LIS, but will be reassigned to a new prescription drug plan starting on January 1st.
SSA automatically reassign people who:
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Qualify for the full (100%) premium subsidy
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Are in a prescription drug plan that’s raising the premium above the low-income premium amount
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Were enrolled in their current plan by CMS
SSA also automatically reassigns people who qualify for the LIS, if their prescription drug plan leaves the Medicare Program
People Who Chose Their Plan
In early November, SSA will mail a notice (CMS Publication No. 11267) (PDF) to people:
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Whose premium cost will increase, but we’re not automatically reassigning to a new plan, because they chose and joined their plan.
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Who qualify for the full (100%) premium subsidy, but are in a plan that’s increasing their premium amount so it’s more than the standard low-income premium subsidy amount.
This notice tells people about the increase in their drug plan premium costs, and explains their options to stay in their plan or join another plan (including plans they won’t pay a monthly premium for).