Costs
Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs: who qualifies and how to apply
If money is tight, two programs can save you thousands a year: Extra Help lowers drug costs, and Medicare Savings Programs pay your Part B premium and sometimes more. Many people who qualify never apply. Medicare says to apply even if you think you're a little over the limits.
Last reviewed October 27, 2026. General information, not advice about any plan.
Extra Help with drug costs
- Who qualifies in 2026
- Yearly income up to $23,940 (single) or $32,460 (married), and resources up to $18,090 or $36,100. Social Security doesn't count some income, so apply if you're close.
- Premium
- $0 in many drug plans. In a plan that costs more than Medicare's benchmark for your area, you pay the difference.
- Deductible
- $0.
- Copays
- No more than $5.10 for generics and $12.65 for brand-name drugs in 2026 ($5.80 and $14.40 in 2027), and less for some people with Medicaid.
- No late penalty
- You don't pay the Part D late enrollment penalty while you have Extra Help.
- Changing plans
- You can switch to a different standalone drug plan once a month.
Medicare Savings Programs
Your state runs these programs. The federal limits for 2026 are below; income limits are slightly higher in Alaska and Hawaii, and some states are more generous.
- ProgramQMB
- What it pays: Part A and Part B premiums, plus deductibles, coinsurance and copays
- Monthly income limit (single / married): $1,350 / $1,824
- ProgramSLMB
- What it pays: The Part B premium ($202.90 a month in 2026)
- Monthly income limit (single / married): $1,616 / $2,184
- ProgramQI
- What it pays: The Part B premium; reapply each year, first come, first served
- Monthly income limit (single / married): $1,816 / $2,455
- ProgramQDWI
- What it pays: The Part A premium, for some working people with disabilities
- Monthly income limit (single / married): $5,405 / $7,299
Resource limits are $9,950 single and $14,910 married for QMB, SLMB and QI ($4,000 and $6,000 for QDWI). Some states have higher limits or no resource limit at all.
With QMB, doctors and hospitals that take Medicare can't bill you for Medicare-covered care, beyond a small Medicaid copay in some states. If you're in QMB, SLMB or QI, you get Extra Help automatically.
How to apply
Extra Help: Social Security
Apply online at ssa.gov/extrahelp, by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or at a local office. It's free.Savings Programs: your state
Your Extra Help application starts one for you, or apply directly with your state Medicaid office. The state may ask for more paperwork.Gather papers first
Bank statements, Social Security or pension letters, and your Medicare card make it faster.Get free help
Your state's SHIP counselors help people apply. Their number is on your state's license-check page.
If you're turned down for Extra Help, you can appeal within 60 days. A 2025 law paused planned rules that would have cut Savings Program paperwork, so expect your state to ask for documents.
Once you qualify
- Check that your drug plan is one with a $0 or low premium for people with Extra Help; ask the plan or 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Report changes in income or resources if asked. Your state reviews Savings Program eligibility each year, and Social Security may review Extra Help.
- If you also qualify for full Medicaid, you may have plans built for both programs. More on having both.
Common questions
What is the income limit for Extra Help in 2026?
$23,940 a year for one person or $32,460 for a married couple living together, with resources under $18,090 or $36,100. Limits are higher in Alaska and Hawaii, and you may qualify above them if family members live with you and depend on you.
Does my house count as a resource?
No. Your home, one car, a burial plot, furniture and household items don't count. Bank accounts, stocks, bonds and real estate other than your home do.
Do I have to apply for Extra Help if I have Medicaid?
No. If you have full Medicaid, a Medicare Savings Program or SSI, you get Extra Help automatically and Medicare mails you a purple notice.
Can I apply for both programs at once?
Yes. When you apply for Extra Help with Social Security, your information is sent to your state to start a Medicare Savings Program application, unless you say not to.
Keep reading
- Have Medicare and Medicaid? What changes, and how an agent can helpIf you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid, you have extra help with costs, special plans, and more chances to change coverage. What to know, the 2025 rule changes, and what to watch for.
- What Medicare costs in 2026, and what's already set for 2027The 2026 Part B premium and deductible, Part A hospital costs, the income-based IRMAA surcharges, Part D drug limits and Medicare Advantage's yearly cap, plus the 2027 figures already announced.
- SHIP counselor or Medicare agent: who should you call?Both help with Medicare for free, but they do different jobs. What a SHIP counselor does, what an agent does, and when to use each (or both).
Ready to talk to someone local?
Search by ZIP code. Verified agents are listed first, and every listing is free to contact.