Medicare Part D Extra Help/Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program

If you need help paying for your prescription drugs, the Medicare Part D Extra Help program might be right for you. Also known as the Low-Income Subsidy (LIS) program, Extra Help can help lower your Part D costs by paying for the Part D portion of your HealthPartners Medicare Advantage plan’s monthly premium, plus a significant amount of your prescription copays.

While most prescription drugs are covered under Part D, some are covered under Part B of Original Medicare. The Extra Help program only helps with Part D costs, not any Part B costs you may be responsible for (including Part B monthly premiums). However, you might also qualify for help with Part B costs through another program, like a Medicare Savings Program .

The Extra Help program is only available if you meet all these criteria:

• You’re already enrolled in Original Medicare (Parts A and B)
• You already have qualified Part D coverage, like through a Medicare Advantage plan
• You live in one of the 50 states or Washington, D.C.
• Your combined assets (income and resources) are below a certain annual limit set by the IRS

The income and resource limits for the Medicare Extra Help programdepend on whether you’re single or married. In 2025, those limits are:

If you have questions about income and resource limits, contact the Social Security Administration . In Minnesota, if you qualify for the Extra Help program, you may also qualify for a Minnesota Senior Health Options (MSHO) plan that combines your Medicare and Medical Assistance (Medicaid) benefits into one plan.

You’ll automatically be enrolled in the Extra Help program if you already receive full Medical Assistance (Medicaid) coverage, you currently get help paying Medicare Part B premiums from a Medicare Savings Program or you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through Social Security.

If you’re not automatically enrolled, you can apply for the Extra Help/LIS program by:

• Going online to the Social Security Administration
• Calling Social Security at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0778), 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. CT, Monday through Friday
  
• Visiting your local Social Security office
• Contacting your state’s Medical Assistance (Medicaid) office

You can also check the status of your Extra Help enrollment in the above ways.

If you qualify for the Extra Help/LIS program, then, depending on the HealthPartners plan you choose, you’ll pay the subsidized monthly premium listed below. (Remember: This does not include any Medicare Part B premium you may also have to pay.)

• Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage overview
• Medicare Prescription Payment Plan
• Information about Medicare Part D plans
  
• HealthPartners Medicare formulary (drug list) and additional information