Extra Help

Extra Help is a federal program that can save qualified applicants health care costs each year including prescription drug plan premiums, annual deductibles and co-payments.

All Medicare recipients are eligible to apply for Extra Help; however, certain income and resource limits must be met to qualify. The program typically saves those who qualify thousands of dollars each year.

While most individuals on Medicare must contact the Social Security Administration to apply for Extra Help, others are automatically enrolled depending on income levels.

Recipients automatically qualified will receive a card in the mail with information mentioning RX (prescription drugs) or PDP (Prescription Drug Plan) approximately three months before the Medicare effective date.

The card will come from a private insurance company and should list RX or PDP. Extra Help becomes effective on the same date the Medicare coverage begins.

For Medicare recipients not automatically enrolled, the table below outlines the income and resource limits for Extra Help.

Most common resource exclusions include:

• Primary Residence
• Personal Vehicle
• Personal Possessions
• Life Insurance
• Burial Plots
• Social Security Back Payments

To apply for Extra Help, call the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 or click the button below.