Do you need extra help paying for Medicare?

Most people have no idea that a handful of federal and state programs exist specifically to help pay Medicare premiums, deductibles, copays, and prescription drug costs. Some of these programs are worth thousands of dollars a year. Most people also have no idea whether they qualify, because the rules are scattered across federal agencies and 51 different state systems that all use different names for the same thing.

This RoadMap chapter fixes that.

Written by Medicare expert Melinda A. Caughill, CSA, it walks you step by step through the Medicare Savings Programs (QMB, SLMB, and QI), Extra Help for Part D, and State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs, in plain language, with real 2026 dollar figures. You will learn exactly what counts as income, what counts as assets, and how to figure out where you fit using a simple step-by-step decision guide.

Then comes the part nobody else provides: a full state-by-state supplement covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with the actual program names, income and asset limits, application links, phone numbers, and free SHIP counselor contacts for every single one, because a program that pays your Medicare premium does you no good if you cannot figure out how to apply for it in your state.

What's inside:

• How the Federal Poverty Level drives every income limit in this chapter, and how to calculate your own

• What counts as income and assets (and the surprising things that do not)

• A complete breakdown of QMB, SLMB, and QI, what each one covers, and current 2026 dollar limits

• How Extra Help works, what it saves you on prescription drugs, and who qualifies automatically

• A step-by-step worksheet to find the exact program you likely qualify for

• Where and how to apply for each program, with direct links and phone numbers

• A 50-state plus DC supplement with program names, income and asset limits, application portals, and free SHIP counselor contacts for every state

Who this is for:
Anyone approaching Medicare or already enrolled and feeling the pinch of premiums and drug costs. It is also an essential reference for agents, advisors, and caregivers who want to give accurate answers instead of guessing, or worse, assuming a client does not qualify for help they are actually entitled to.

65 Incorporated does not sell insurance and receives no commissions. This chapter exists for one reason: to make sure you know exactly what you are entitled to.