Extra Help & Medicare Savings Programs

Programs that lower or even eliminate what you pay for Medicare drugs, premiums, and out-of-pocket costs if your income and savings are limited. Many people qualify and never know it.

Two Programs, Real Savings

If money is tight, Medicare does not have to be expensive. There are two main forms of help. Extra Help, also called the Low-Income Subsidy or LIS, cuts the cost of your Part D prescription drug coverage. Medicare Savings Programs, run by your state Medicaid office, can pay your Part B premium and sometimes your Part A premium, deductibles, and coinsurance.

You can qualify for one or both. We help you understand the rules, gather what you need, and point you to the right application so you keep more of your monthly check.

Extra Help (Low-Income Subsidy)

Lower drug costs

Reduced or zero Part D premiums and deductibles, and small fixed copays at the pharmacy.

No coverage gap

People with Extra Help do not face the old donut hole the same way and keep steady drug coverage all year.

A special election period

Extra Help gives you added chances during the year to change your Part D or Advantage plan when your needs change.

Medicare Savings Programs

These state programs help pay the parts of Medicare that come out of your pocket. The three most common are below. Qualifying for any of them usually qualifies you for Extra Help automatically.

ProgramWhat it helps pay
QMB (Qualified Medicare Beneficiary)Part A and Part B premiums plus deductibles, coinsurance, and copays. The most generous of the three.
SLMB (Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary)Your Part B premium.
QI (Qualifying Individual)Your Part B premium, on a first-come basis with limited yearly funding.

Income and asset limits change every year and vary by state. Even if you were turned down before, it is worth checking again, because the limits often rise. We will walk through it with you at no cost.

How We Help

Check eligibility

A few simple questions tell us which programs you likely qualify for.

Point you to the right door

We direct you to the Social Security and state Medicaid applications and explain what to bring.

Match your plan

Once you have Extra Help, we make sure your drug or Advantage plan takes full advantage of it.

What Our Clients Say

Real reviews from the families and individuals we have helped.

Find Out What You Qualify For

It takes a short, friendly conversation to see whether Extra Help or a Medicare Savings Program could lower your costs. No fees, no obligation, no pressure.

Cole Insure, LLC is a licensed independent insurance agency. This is an advertisement for insurance-related services. Extra Help and Medicare Savings Programs are administered by the Social Security Administration and state Medicaid agencies; eligibility, income and asset limits, and benefits are set by those agencies, vary by state, and change annually. We do not determine eligibility or administer these programs. Medicare has neither reviewed nor endorsed this information. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government or the federal Medicare program. To get information on all of your options, contact Medicare.gov, 1-800-MEDICARE, or your local State Health Insurance Program (SHIP). Details are current as of 2026 and subject to change.