What’s Extra Help?
“Extra Help” is a Medicare program to help people with limited income and resources pay Medicare drug coverage (Part D) premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other costs. What’s a premium, deductible, coinsurance, or copayment?
You also won’t have to pay a Part D late enrollment penalty while you get Extra Help. What’s the Part D penalty?
Some people qualify for Extra Help automatically, and other people have to apply.
Who gets Extra Help automatically?
You’ll get Extra Help automatically if you get:
- Full Medicaid coverage
- Help from your state paying your Part B premiums (from a Medicare Savings Program)
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits from Social Security
You’ll get a letter about your Extra Help. It tells you things like how much you’ll pay, and your new Medicare drug plan, if you don’t have one already.