Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs: Getting Both in 2026
Two programs cut Medicare costs for people with modest income, and most people who qualify for one qualify for the other. Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) pay Part B premiums and sometimes cost-sharing. Extra Help (the Part D Low-Income Subsidy) pays most prescription drug costs. Since 2024, Extra Help is a single full-benefit program for everyone under 150% of FPL.
What each program pays
| Program | Income limit (individual, % FPL) | Pays |
|---|---|---|
| QMB | 100% | Part A and B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, copays |
| SLMB | 120% | Part B premium |
| QI | 135% | Part B premium |
| Extra Help | 150% | Part D premium and deductible; copays of a few dollars per prescription |
Several states set higher MSP limits or drop the asset test; see the Medicare Savings Programs page for your state.
The automatic link
Enrolling in any MSP, or in full Medicaid or SSI, makes you "deemed eligible" for Extra Help with no separate application. The reverse is not true: Extra Help does not enroll you in an MSP, though Social Security forwards your data to the state, which must then contact you.
Income counted
Both programs use Social Security's SSI-style counting: a $20 general disregard, and for earned income a $65 plus one-half exclusion. That means a working beneficiary can have gross income well above the published limit and still qualify.
What to do next
- Compare your income to the MSP limits for your state on this site.
- Apply for the MSP through your state Medicaid agency; approval triggers Extra Help automatically.
- If you only qualify for Extra Help (income 135–150% FPL), apply at ssa.gov/extrahelp.
- Check your Part D plan each fall; Extra Help members can switch plans monthly.