Hundreds Can Get Help With Part D Drug Costs

By Eileen Doherty MS ~

Denver, Colo. – Prescription drugs are costly for almost everyone.  Many Medicare beneficiaries qualify for help through Extra Help or Low Income Subsidy (LIS) operated by the Social Security Administration.

To be eligible, your gross income must be less than $1956 per month for a single person ($2927 per month for a couple) and you must have less than $17,600 in resources for a single person ($35,130 for a couple), excluding your house, one car, one term life insurance policy, and an irrevocable burial policy.  If you are already receiving Medicaid through Supplemental Security Income, Home and Community Based Services, or long-term care in a nursing home, you are already receiving help with your prescription drug costs.

Extra Help pays for the monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and co-payments. To get help, you must have Medicare Part A and/or Part B, and be enrolled in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. Not all Medicare Part D plans participate in Extra Help.  

You can check at Medicare.gov by completing the Part D Plan Finder to see if your plan already participates in Extra Help.  If your plan does not accept Extra Help, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 to see if they can help you qualify for Extra Help.  You may have to wait until the Medicare Open Enrollment Period from October 15 to December 7, 2025, to enroll for coverage to start on January 1, 2026. 

You will need your bank statements, balances in investment accounts, and income from pensions, other than Social Security. You can apply at ssa.gov, call 1-800-772-1213 or make an appointment at your local Social Security office.  Social Security offices do not accept walk-ins. 

If you need further information, call 303-333-3482.

Eileen Doherty

Eileen Doherty, MS is the Executive Director of the Colorado Gerontological Society.