Medicare Part D Extra Help Guide - 2026

Information from the Pennsylvania Health Law Project about the Medicare Part D Extra Help Program (also called the Low-Income Subsidy or “LIS”) that helps Medicare consumers dramatically lower their prescription drug costs and can help individuals save thousands of dollars per year.

Anyone who has Medicare and gets any help from Medicaid should automatically get Extra Help and doesn’t need to apply. This includes people whose only Medicaid benefit is the payment of the Medicare Part B premium. People who automatically get Extra Help will get a letter about this that is on purple paper. All other Medicare beneficiaries need to apply to the Social Security Administration (SSA) to get this help. (February 2026)

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