Extra Help screening tool
Wages, Social Security, pensions and any other income for the year.
Bank accounts, stocks and bonds. Do not count your home, your car, or personal belongings.
This is an estimate for information only, not advice, an offer of coverage, or an eligibility decision.
What Extra Help is worth
Extra Help covers most of the premium and deductible for a Part D plan and caps what you pay at the pharmacy. For someone paying a full premium and deductible, it is usually worth thousands of dollars a year.
The limits are 150% of the poverty guideline
The income limits here are exactly 150% of the federal poverty guideline for your household size. The resource limits include the allowance for burial expenses.
Some people get it automatically
If you have Medicaid, get Supplemental Security Income, or are in a Medicare Savings Program, you receive Extra Help automatically and do not need to apply.
Applying costs nothing
You apply through Social Security, online or by phone, and there is no fee. A broker cannot approve or deny it, and nobody should charge you to fill in the form.
Common questions
What are the Extra Help income limits?
For 2027, up to $23,940 a year for a single person and $32,460 for a married couple living together. Those are 150% of the federal poverty guideline.
Does my house or car count against me?
No. Your home, your vehicle, personal belongings and burial plots are not counted. Bank accounts, stocks and bonds are.
What if I am slightly over the limit?
Apply anyway. Social Security excludes some income and some resources, so people who look slightly over on paper are sometimes approved.
Does Extra Help remove the late enrollment penalty?
Yes. Qualifying for Extra Help removes the Part D late enrollment penalty for as long as you keep it.
Sources and method
- Get help with drug costs — Medicare.gov (CMS)
- Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines — U.S. Department of Health and Human Services · 2026-01-15