You must be enrolled in a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan to get Extra Help. More specifically, you must have Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and/or Medicare Part B (Medical Insurance); You must live in one of the 50 States or the District of Columbia; and You have up to $18,210 in yearly income ($24,690 for a married couple) and up to $14,100 in resources ($28,150 for a married couple).

Note: Your home, one car, burial plot, up to $1,500 for burial expenses if you have put that money aside, furniture and other personal items do not count towards your resources total amount.

You’re automatically qualified for Extra Help if:
you qualify for Medicaid OR belong to a Medicare Savings Program OR get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.

After you apply, Social Security will review your application and send you a letter to let you know if you qualify for Extra Help.

If you qualify, you can choose a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan. If you do not select a plan, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will do it for you. The sooner you join a plan, the sooner you begin receiving benefits.

If you qualify for Extra Help but your plan has not been notified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, you can show certain documents to your pharmacy and pay a reduced copay.

People with limited incomes may qualify for Extra Help to pay for their prescription drug costs. If you qualify, your monthly premium will be lower than what it would be if you did not get Extra Help from Medicare. The tables below show what your monthly plan premium will be if you qualify for Extra Help. The premiums are for both medical services and prescription drug benefits. These amounts do not include any Medicare Part B premium you may have to pay. Low Income Subsidy Table for Medicare (BlueAdvantage - PPO)Low Income Subsidy Table for Medicare (BlueEssential - HMO SNP)

To determine which region you are in, please refer to the list below.

The Diamond and Ruby service area includes Anderson, Bedford, Benton, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carroll, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Coffee, Crockett, Cumberland, Davidson, Decatur, DeKalb, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Giles, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardeman, Hardin, Hawkins, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Maury, McMinn, McNairy, Meigs, Monroe, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Shelby, Smith, Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Weakley, White, Williamson and Wilson counties.

The Sapphire service area includes Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Macon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Smith, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Warren, Washington and White counties.

The Garnet service area includes Bedford, Benton, Carroll, Cheatham, Chester, Coffee, Crockett, Davidson, Decatur, Dickson, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Giles, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lake, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Madison, Marshall, Maury, McNairy, Montgomery, Moore, Obion, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Shelby, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Trousdale, Wayne, Weakley, Williamson and Wilson counties.

The BlueEssential service area includes Anderson, Blount, Bradley, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Davidson, Fayette, Grundy, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hawkins, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Madison, Marion, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Sequatchie, Sevier, Shelby, Sullivan, Sumner, Unicoi, Union, Washington, Williamson, and Wilson counties.