Medicare Part D

Struggling with drug bills in Largo? Extra Help may cover them

LARGO, Fla. — If prescription costs are stretching your budget, there's a federal program worth a close look before the next refill. It's called Extra Help — also known as the Low-Income Subsidy, or LIS — and it can dramatically reduce what people with Medicare pay for their Part D prescription drugs. The Part D annual out-of-pocket cap is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027, and Extra Help stacks on top of that protection for those who qualify.

What Extra Help actually does

Extra Help is run by the Social Security Administration and Medicare. If you qualify, it lowers or eliminates your Part D plan premium (up to the benchmark amount), wipes out the deductible, and caps what you pay for covered generic and brand-name drugs at the pharmacy counter. According to CMS, people who get the full subsidy pay only small, set copays for prescriptions.

The change families notice most is at the register — the sticker shock of a specialty medication or a long list of monthly prescriptions gets much smaller.

Who qualifies

Extra Help is based on income and resources, not age alone. For 2025 (the most recent thresholds published by the Social Security Administration), you may qualify if your annual income is below roughly $23,475 for an individual or $31,725 for a married couple living together, and your resources are below about $17,600 (individual) or $35,130 (couple). These limits are updated each year.

A few things people often miss:

• Some income doesn't count, including certain in-kind support and part of earned income.
• Resources include things like bank accounts and investments, but not your home, one car, or personal belongings.
• If you already have Medicaid, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), or a Medicare Savings Program, you're automatically enrolled in Extra Help.

If you're close to the limits, it's still worth applying. Many people who assume they earn "too much" actually qualify.

How Extra Help fits with recent Part D changes

The prescription drug landscape looks different than it did a few years ago. The old coverage gap — the "donut hole" — was eliminated in 2025, so Part D now has three phases instead of four. The Part D maximum deductible is $615 in 2026 and $700 in 2027, and the annual out-of-pocket limit on covered drugs is $2,100 in 2026 and $2,400 in 2027.

There's also the Medicare Prescription Payment Plan, an optional program that lets you spread your drug costs into monthly installments instead of paying large amounts at the pharmacy. It doesn't lower the total you owe, but it can smooth out the timing. Extra Help is different — it actually reduces what you pay.

How to apply

You can apply for Extra Help in a few ways, and there is no enrollment window — applications are accepted year-round:

• Online at ssa.gov/extrahelp
• By phone at 1-800-772-1213 (Social Security)
• In person at a local Social Security office
• With free help from a SHIP counselor (in Florida, the program is called SHINE)

Approval usually takes a few weeks. Once approved, Extra Help follows you — if you switch Part D plans later, the subsidy continues.

Local context for Largo

Largo is in Pinellas County, where Medicare beneficiaries have access to a wide range of stand-alone Part D prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans that include drug coverage. Availability and plan details are set at the county level and change each year. The Annual Enrollment Period runs October 15 through December 7, and the Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Period runs January 1 through March 31 — but again, you don't need to wait for either to apply for Extra Help.